Actor Vishnu Vishal recently opened up about the failure of his 2024 film Lal Salaam and revealed that he personally apologized to Netflix after the movie’s disappointing performance in theatres and its troubled OTT journey.
The film, directed by Aishwarya Rajinikanth, featured Superstar Rajinikanth in an extended cameo role alongside Vishnu Vishal and Vikranth. Despite the star power, Lal Salaam failed to make an impact at the box office and faced multiple delays for its digital release.
Why Vishnu Vishal Felt the Need to Apologise
Speaking to Rednool, Vishnu Vishal shared that he felt a personal sense of responsibility for the film’s failure. He explained that he could not simply move on after Lal Salaam underperformed, which led him to apologise to Netflix.
“Lal Salaam didn’t work in theatres or on OTT. I apologised to Netflix. They asked, ‘Why are you worrying?’ I said, ‘I should take ownership. I’ll come back.’ They told me, ‘It’s not your film. They tried to do business with Superstar Rajinikanth, and Rajinikanth is in the film for one hour.’ I said, ‘It’s still my film. How can it go wrong?’ OTT platforms like this kind of ownership.”
Netflix executives tried to reassure Vishnu by explaining that the streaming platform had acquired the rights primarily because of Rajinikanth’s presence in the film. However, Vishnu insisted that as the lead actor, he still considered it his project and felt accountable for its outcome.
The Troubled Journey of Lal Salaam
Lal Salaam released in theatres on February 9, 2024, with high expectations. The sports drama was produced by Subaskaran Allirajah’s Lyca Productions with music by AR Rahman. Reports indicate the film was made on a budget of ₹80–90 crore but managed to collect only ₹17.74 crore in India and approximately ₹31.25 crore worldwide.
The film’s OTT journey proved equally challenging. Netflix had acquired the post-theatrical streaming rights before the film’s release, but the digital premiere kept getting delayed. Aishwarya Rajinikanth later revealed that a hard disk containing important footage had gone missing, affecting plans for an extended director’s cut meant for streaming.
After more than a year of delays, Lal Salaam eventually made its digital debut on Sun NXT in June 2025 instead of Netflix. The film never actually streamed on the platform Vishnu had apologised to.
Rajinikanth’s Extended Screen Time and Its Impact
Reports suggest that Rajinikanth’s role expanded significantly during production. Originally planned as a cameo of about 25 minutes, the Superstar’s screen time grew to approximately one hour in the final cut. Vishnu Vishal had previously acknowledged that the film’s narrative shifted when Rajinikanth’s character became more prominent.
Director Aishwarya Rajinikanth also admitted that her father’s presence led to commercial compromises that ultimately impacted the film’s box office performance. What was initially designed as a single-hero film with Vishnu in the lead became a different project altogether.
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Vishnu Vishal’s Upcoming Projects and Recent Success
Despite the disappointment of Lal Salaam, Vishnu Vishal is looking ahead to his next release. His upcoming film Gatta Kusthi 2 is scheduled for a worldwide theatrical release on July 3, 2026. The film brings back Vishnu Vishal and Aishwarya Lekshmi in the lead roles, along with returning cast members and new additions including Ramya Krishnan and Yogi Babu.
Directed by Chella Ayyavu, the sequel follows the story of a man who discovers his wife is a trained wrestler, flipping the premise of the first film. Music for the film is composed by Sean Roldan.
Vishnu also recently hit back at critics who claimed his recent films have been underperforming. He pointed out that only two of his recent movies have been released, and while he takes ownership of Aaryan‘s performance, he maintained that Lal Salaam was beyond his control since the final version differed significantly from what was originally discussed.
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