'My fault': Akshay Kumar shoulders blame for box office failures
What's the story
Bollywood is currently weathering a turbulent storm and is at an unprecedented stage where only selected films have worked wonders.
Even biggies like Aamir Khan and Ranbir Kapoor have grasped at straws this year.
Now, Akshay Kumar, who has tasted box office defeat thrice in 2022, has opened up on this recent phenomenon and asserted the need for changes to understand the audience's pulse.
Context
Why does this story matter?
Kumar's three releases: Samrat Prithviraj, Bachchhan Paandey, and Raksha Bandhan have been termed critical and commercial failures.
While Samrat Prithviraj was panned for "lack of accuracy and effort," Raksha Bandhan drew ire for its alleged "regressive and dated content."
Kumar is known for dishing out films at a breakneck speed, however, that has also seemed to work against, and not toward, his benefit.
Quote
'There is nobody else to be blamed but me'
On Saturday, Kumar was spotted in Mumbai at the trailer launch event of his upcoming crime-thriller film Cuttputlli, slated to stream on Disney+ Hotstar from September 2.
Addressing a journalist's question, he said, "Films are not working, it is our fault, my fault. I have to make changes, understand what the audience wants, and there is nobody else to be blamed but me."
Performances
How did Kumar's last three films perform at box office?
Khiladi Kumar's first 2022 release, Bachchhan Paandey was reportedly made on a budget of over Rs. 160cr, but could only collect about Rs. 50cr in India.
Samrat Prithviraj was said to be mounted on a budget of over Rs. 200cr but shrunk at Rs. 65cr (nett).
Aanand L Rai's Raksha Bandhan has collected Rs. 38.72cr so far and is struggling to touch Rs. 50cr.
Bollywood disasters
Numerous Bollywood A-listers have fallen flat this year
Ayushmann Khurrana's Anek, Khan-Kareena Kapoor Khan's Laal Singh Chaddha, Kangana Ranaut's Dhaakad, and Ajay Devgn's Runway 34 are some of the films that failed to soar high this year.
The Kashmir Files, Gangubai Kathiawadi, Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2, and Jug Jugg Jeeyo are the only Hindi movies that were able to salvage themselves, with TKF being one of the top five Indian grossers this year.
Perspective
Meanwhile, this is what Anurag Kashyap said about films' failure
Filmmaker Anurag Kashyap also recently chimed in about Bollywood's struggle to bloom at the box office.
The No Smoking helmer talked about India's "economic slump" and said that "people only wish to spend on a film when they are completely sure the film will be liked by all or if people have been waiting for it for years, like RRR and KGF 2."