Saif Ali Khan does not hesitate. The action thriller, while being well-mounted and starring a talented cast, was a box office failure, according to the actor, who was last seen on the big screen in Vikram Vedha alongside Hrithik Roshan.
The 2017 Tamil smash blockbuster Vikram Vedha was remade in Hindi by the same director-duo that handled the original, Pushkar-Gayatri. The movie had a strong opening weekend but a disappointing box office performance.
When asked in an interview why Hindi movies aren’t doing well, Saif responded that he, like everyone else, had no idea.
Even though everyone who saw Vikram Vedha thought it was fantastic, the actor admitted that the film’s box office performance was disappointing. However, philosophically speaking, he added, “We should be polite to each other because nobody has any idea what works, what doesn’t, or what’s going to happen.”
Vijay Sethupathi and R Madhavan appeared in the original movie. Saif played Madhavan’s part again in the Hindi version, and Hrithik filled Vijay’s shoes. Vikram Vedha struggled to cross Rs 80 crore in India when it debuted in September, following a lacklustre marketing effort and riding on the hefty shoulders of Hrithik’s first screen appearance since his 2019 hit War.
According to Saif, it was anticipated that the movie would perform well, but that didn’t happen. The actor claimed that the pattern of underperforming movies has already prompted reflection.
It seemed obvious that this movie would run well because it stars these two guys and will have a strong opening. It was, however, underwhelming. What is happening is a mystery to me. People will keep making movies, we’ll keep trying, and prices will fluctuate because of our outrageous pricing—we pay people astronomically while the results haven’t been great, he continued.
Few Hindi films have actually performed well this year, while South Indian movies like RRR, KGF 2, and Kantara have shattered box office records. This is why Vikram Vedha’s box office performance has been so disappointing.
Saif acknowledged the present trend and stated that RRR and KGF are deeply entrenched in the roots of Indian cinema, which the Hindi film business may have strayed from.
“South films are incredibly successful, and there are ongoing lectures about what’s happening. It’s possible that occasionally in Bombay, we have a propensity to veer off in the direction of European movies or lose touch with… I recall that people had stopped wanting to shoot songs for several of the movies I had done a few years earlier. There are still many filmmakers who feel awkward about that.
It’s a component of our culture. I adore movies like RRR and KGF 1: nailed it. KGF 1 in particular was great because it had that quality that was universal. Those elements can be found in some films, regardless of how garish, loud, or insane they are. “It is extremely assured film,” he said.
