Prakash Jha reacts to Laal Singh Chaddha failure, says 'they should understand they made bakwaas'
India Today
Prakash Jha has now reacted to Aamir Khan's Laal Singh Chaddha failure. He bashed the film for its bad content.
Laal Singh Chaddha opened with very low numbers on August 11. It recorded a 15-20% occupancy on Day 1 which is a worrying figure for an Aamir Khan film. After a break of four years, the Bollywood actor surely would have expected better theatrical prospects. However, that doesn't seem to be the case as the film turned out to be one of the biggest flops of 2022. The film's box office collection also got badly affected due to the boycott and cancel culture. Director Prakash Jha has now opened up on the box office failure of Aamir Khan's Laal Singh Chaddha. He shared whether the boycott trend has truly affected the film or not. He also bashed its content.
Prakash Jha told Cinestaan that it's a wake-up call for the industry. He said, “They should understand that they are making bakwaas. A film can’t be made only through money, corporates, and paying a high fee to the actors. One needs to write a good story that makes you understand and entertains.”
Prakash Jha continued, “They should make stories that are rooted. People from the Hindi industry are speaking in Hindi but what are they making? They are just churning out remakes. If you don’t have a story to tell, stop making films. They should work hard and think original as people have become lethargic.”
The Gangajal director further added the boycott culture has always existed. "It's just that people are using social media as a tool of communication. If Dangal, Lagaan tanked (at the box office), then we could have understood that it happened because of the boycott. But you have made a film that didn't meet with a favourable reception. I am yet to find someone who has said, ‘wow, what a film it was,’” Prakash said. Acknowledging Aamir Khan's effort, Prakash Jha said, "I agree you have worked and tried hard but when there is no such factor in your content, you can’t say it didn’t do well because of the boycott.”
Prakash will next be seen playing the titular character in Matto Ki Saikil. Directed by M Gani, the film will release in cinemas on September 16.
2022 has been a huge disappointment for Bollywood as big-budget films have failed to make a mark at the box office. Shamshera, starring Ranbir Kapoor failed to impress the audience. On the other hand, Ranveer Singh's Jayeshbhai Jordaar, Akshay Kumar's Samrat Prithviraj and Ajay Devgn's Runway 34 also bombed at the box office. Other Bollywood films that flopped in 2022 are Attack: Part 1, Jersey, Heropanti 2, Dhaakad, Anek, Rashtra Kavach Om, Raksha Bandhan and Dobaaraa, among others.
Directed by Advait Chandan, Laal Singh Chaddha is the official remake of the Hollywood film, Forrest Gump, which featured Tom Hanks. The Hindi adaptation features Kareena Kapoor Khan, Naga Chaitanya and Mona Singh in crucial roles. Even before its release, Laal Singh Chaddha made headlines due to multiple controversies. Netizens called for a boycott of the film over statements made by Aamir and Kareena in the past. The two stars requested fans not to boycott Laal Singh Chaddha and asked them to watch the film in theatres.
