Dulquer Salmaan says lingering criticism about his acting still fuels his drive to push harder and take on tougher roles.

Despite the success he has achieved, actor Dulquer Salmaan says there are still viewers who doubt his acting abilities. In a recent interview, he admitted that he continues to face criticism from certain sections of the audience. He pays attention to such comments — and it is the fear that creeps in while reading them, he says, that drives him to work harder.
Speaking to Gulte Pro, Dulquer opened up about his critics. In his latest film ‘Kaantha’, his character is described as the “Emperor of Acting”, yet Dulquer says he has never believed he is a great performer. “There’s still a section of the audience that insists I don’t know how to act. Sometimes I read those comments and start asking myself, ‘Am I not good enough?’ That fear always lingers within me,” he said.
“That fear pushes me to work harder and take on more demanding roles. When I’m portraying someone celebrated as an extraordinary actor, I want people to believe that I truly deserve the role — and that no one else could have done it better,” Dulquer added.
In ‘Kaantha’, Dulquer plays T K Mahadevan, an actor popularly known as “Nadippu Chakravarthy” (Emperor of Acting).
Set in the Madras of the 1950s, the film tells its story against a rich period backdrop. The cast also includes Samuthirakani, Bhagyashri Borse, Rana Daggubati, Ravindra Vijay, Bhagavathi Perumal and Nizhalgal Ravi in pivotal roles.
Published: 14 Nov 2025, 09:22 pm IST
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