'The Lady Killer': From box office disaster to YouTube sensation
In a surprising turn of events, the Bollywood thriller, The Lady Killer, featuring Bhumi Pednekar and Arjun Kapoor, has found its footing. Once touted as one of Indian cinema's biggest flops with a 99.99% loss on its ₹45cr budget, the film has now hit gold on YouTube. Rejected by OTT platforms over poor box office performance and bad press, it has racked up over 2.5 million views since its free release in September 2024.
'The Lady Killer' faced initial rejection and criticism
The Lady Killer, directed by Ajay Bahl, was first a box office disaster. On its opening day in 2023, it sold a paltry 293 tickets across India. The film, produced by Bhushan Kumar under his T-Series banner, had bagged a streaming release with Netflix. But since it flopped and got negative word of mouth, Netflix backed out of the deal. Critics alleged the movie's theatrical release was symbolic as the climax wasn't fully shot.
'The Lady Killer' found unexpected success on YouTube
Despite its initial failure, The Lady Killer got a new lease of life on YouTube. Released for free in September 2024, it became an instant hit and has since racked up over 2.5 million views. Viewers lauded the film's quality and Pednekar and Kapoor's performances. One viewer wrote, "It's a good one, c'mon guys he (Arjun Kapoor) did a great job I know he gave so many flops, but this one deserves appreciation."
Viewers defended 'The Lady Killer' against initial criticism
Many viewers also defended The Lady Killer against its initial criticism. One viewer asked, "Is it just me who liked this movie? Thought it was a good one." Another said, "People who judge before knowing the truth are at loss, the film is actually good." A third viewer commented, "This movie was way better than most Bollywood mainstream movies," noting the film's unexpected success on YouTube despite its initial box office failure.
'The Lady Killer' was a victim of poor marketing
Some viewers also blamed the initial failure of The Lady Killer on poor marketing strategies. One viewer wrote, "Idk why everyone is joining the troll bandwagon. Genuinely a good thriller movie although the producers messed it up with releasing trailer too late and no PR at all." This indicates that despite being good, the film may have been overlooked due to poor promotion and late trailer release.
