Nani isn’t worried about the trolls. In fact, he’s kind of enjoying them. In a candid post-release interview released by SLV Cinemas, the actor addressed the intense backlash surrounding The Paradise, a film that has quietly crossed the Rs 100 crore mark despite a deeply divided audience. Most stars in his position would pivot to gratitude or dismiss the noise. Nani did neither. He leaned into the discomfort, calling the criticism a form of validation.
Out of 33 films in 18 years, he claims this is his first time facing such a split reaction. “When someone says ‘this didn’t work for me’ with that kind of intensity, it tells you something,” he said, framing the anger as “aggressive honesty.” It’s a bold spin. Usually, box office numbers and review scores tell opposite stories, but here, the financial success and the critical failure are coexisting in a strange, profitable balance. The film released on September 24, and by the next day, Nani had already posted a note on X, thanking fans for the “hilarious trolls” while acknowledging the flaws pointed out by critics.
Director Srikanth Odela sounds less certain. “I feel blank. I still need some more time to process and understand the mixed reactions,” Odela admitted. While Nani has framed the controversy as a sign of passion, the filmmaker is still digesting the disconnect. The movie, which also features Kayadu Lohar and Raghav Juyal, was jointly bankrolled by SLV Cinemas and IVY Entertainment, a significant risk given the unconventional nature of the project. Whether this “extreme reaction” will translate into longer legs at the box office or just a curious footnote in Nani’s filmography remains to be seen, but for now, he’s taking the heat as a badge of honor.