Dear Mr Akshay Kumar,
4 years ago, when I would speak to exhibitors, they wouldn’t stop singing your praises. They appreciated you for coming up with multiple films in a year and were heartened to know that with your films, certain footfalls were always guaranteed. In fact, there are several articles where exhibitors and trade experts have advised other stars to follow the ‘Akshay Kumar model’ and come up with a couple of movies every year.
An open letter to Akshay Kumar: Don’t lose hope over your flops; select the correct films and you’ll be back in the top league VERY SOON!
Today, this same model is being criticized, more so after the box office performance of your latest film, Selfiee. Also, the massive trolling that has taken place over the dismal opening of the film is truly heartbreaking. Such negativity can break anyone and I am sure you, too, must be feeling low.
I am not here to criticize your multiple films strategy. However, as you are aware, things have changed drastically post pandemic. I would love to see you again and again in different films in a year, and the same applies to several moviegoers. But can I make a small suggestion? Before signing the film, please ask yourself, ‘Does this script blow me away? And will it blow away the viewers too?’. If the answer is a ‘No’ to either or both the questions, will it make sense to do that film, especially in 2023 when audiences expect an overload of entertainment when they enter a cinema hall? And no, the films need not be big-budget or VFX-heavy to fit into the ‘new normal’ requirement of viewers. Gangubai Kathiawadi or Drishyam 2 were not ideal big screen films but were super-hits due to their respective concepts.
In my humble opinion, the problem was not that you delivered multiple films in the last one year. The problem was that those films didn’t appeal to the audiences. In the case of Selfiee, the concept did intrigue viewers but didn’t excite them enough to buy a ticket, despite good word of mouth. Compare this with Shah Rukh Khan, who will also be releasing three films this year. But all three of them seem very promising and hence, the hype is tremendous for them. This truly proves that doing multiple films can be ideal, as long as the films are worth it. This is also the reason you delivered 4 hits in a year in 2007 or 2019.
This also brings to me another point. Do you really need to sign so many films in a year just because you are used to doing so for years, especially if some of the films don’t have impactful scripts? In these changing times and circumstances, won’t it be a good idea that you also tweak your policy a bit? Do feel free to sign 10 films in a year, if the scripts of those films are incredible. But in case, such scripts don’t come your way, it’s completely fine to have just 1 or 2 or even zero releases in a year. After all, having just one or 2 hits in a year is better than delivering a film that opens at less than Rs. 3 crores, right?
Do forgive me if my words hurt or sound harsh. But this letter is written out of a deep respect for you, your supreme acting talent and your tremendous work ethic. A star in our industry is rare and you are one of them. We don’t want to lose you, especially when you have the potential to rise higher and higher. You are iconic in the world of memes, thanks to your outstanding filmography in the past. Some of your past films, across genres, can be rewatched again and again and we’d like you to repeat the magic in future too.
To conclude, the good thing about time is that it’s never constant! Yes, things are not going in your favour right now. And you have been through such lows before. I still remember during the group interview of Pad Man (2018), when somebody asked about a lull you faced in your career, you asked him ‘Kaunse lull ki baat kar raha hai, pehle woh bata’! You have always come out with flying colours when you have hit rock bottom. I don’t see any reason why this time, things would be different for you. Moreover, you have some winning projects in your hand like Bade Miyan Chote Miyan and above all, Hera Pheri! The future is definitely bright for you; do select the right scripts and the ‘House Full’ boards will be back whenever your films will be out in cinemas!
Yours Truly,
Fenil Seta
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