Chinese superstar Dilraba Dilmurat is facing growing scrutiny over her acting career as critics and fans point to a troubling trend—despite her massive popularity, her dramas are repeatedly underperforming. The latest example? Her fantasy romance series “The Legend of Anle” (梟起青壤) recently ended its run but failed to meet expectations in ratings, popularity, and critical reception.
The drama, where Dilraba plays Nie Jiuluo, a sculptor by day and mysterious “Southern Hunter” by night, was praised for her intense transformation and dedication. She reportedly trained with a Tang sword for six months and did 90% of her own stunts. While some lauded this for breaking her pretty face stereotype, it wasn’t enough to save the show.
Viewers criticized the adaptation for straying too far from the original story, with fractured timelines, oversimplified dark themes, and logic gaps that weakened the plot. Two weeks after its premiere, daily viewership numbers fell below 16.58 million—triggering a downgrade in its production rating from S+ to S.
This marks the fifth consecutive drama disappointment for Dilraba since 2022, joining a list that includes “The Long Ballad”, “Prosecution Elite”, “The Legend of Anle”, “Sword and Rose”, and now “The Legend of Anle”. Despite her undeniable fame, netizens argue she’s struggling with “popularity without hits,” drawing parallels with her former boss Yang Mi.
Yang Mi, who once mentored Dilraba under Jay Walk Studio, experienced a similar pattern in 2024, releasing three back-to-back flops: “Harbin 1944”, “Fox Spirit Matchmaker”, and “A Hot Pot Affair”. Her attempt to rebrand as a serious actress met with lukewarm reception and minimal box office impact.
Fans and critics alike are now questioning Dilraba’s ability to “carry a show.” While a nine-second red carpet clip of hers can rack up over 18 million views on Weibo, she has yet to transition from a “traffic star” to a drama heavyweight. Some argue she lacks a signature hit that cements her status beyond the red carpet glamour.
As the conversation around her career intensifies, many hope Dilraba can break the “flop streak” and find a project that showcases her full potential—before the shine of her celebrity dims in the face of audience fatigue.
Sources: Yahoo News
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