What went wrong? Director reflects on 'Bhediya's underwhelming box-office performance
What's the story
Renowned filmmaker Amar Kaushik, known for his successful films Stree and Bala, recently spoke about his 2022 horror-comedy Bhediya's poor box office performance.
Speaking on Komal Nahta's podcast Game Changers, Kaushik admitted that the film's release timing and creative choices led to its underwhelming theatrical performance.
Although it received positive feedback on OTT, Bhediya didn't meet Kaushik's expectations at the box office.
The film starred Varun Dhawan and Kriti Sanon.
Release timing
'Bhediya' clashed with Ajay Devgn's 'Drishyam 2'
Kaushik accepted that the movie's release timing was instrumental in its fate.
He added, "Do cheezein thi jo mujhe baad mein samajh mein aayi (There were two factors I realized later)."
"Just like Stree 2 is now releasing with two other films, Bhediya also clashed with Drishyam 2, which was a good film. It was released a week before us and had already created buzz. Sab vahi dekhne ja rahe the (Everyone was going to see that)."
Creative decisions
Kaushik's reflections on creative choices in 'Bhediya'
Kaushik also reflected on the film's unconventional climax, which he believes limited its mass appeal.
He shared, "I made the climax a bit niche. Both characters turning into animals instead of focusing on the typical hero-heroine arc was intentional."
"I had an option to let Varun fight as a human, but then it would've revealed he's a shape-shifting Bhediya. That would've made it difficult to set up the sequel."
Future endeavors
Kaushik's admission and future plans
In the same interview, Kaushik candidly admitted, "Bhediya performed lesser at the box office than I expected, and I wish I would have made it differently."
Despite its modest box office performance, the film has garnered a loyal fanbase post-its OTT debut.
As part of Maddock Films's expanding horror-comedy universe, Kaushik will return with Bhediya 2, alongside the much-awaited Stree 3 and several other interconnected titles.