The Indian film industry, often referred to as Bollywood, is renowned for its grandeur and opulence. Over the years, several movies have pushed the boundaries of production budgets, aiming to create cinematic spectacles that captivate audiences. However, despite the massive investments and efforts put into these projects, some films failed to make a mark at the box office, resulting in significant financial losses for the producers. In this article, we explore 10 of the most expensive Indian movies that turned out to be massive disasters, irrespective of their language or elaborate sets.
Ajooba [1990]:
“Ajooba” was a grand fantasy adventure film released in 1991, starring Amitabh Bachchan. Despite its high production costs, lavish sets, and renowned cast, the film failed to impress audiences and turned out to be a massive disaster. This was a catalyst for the decline of Amitabh Bachchan, from which it took almost a decade to recover.
Tashan [2008]:
“Tashan” was an action-comedy film featuring Saif Ali Khan, Kareena Kapoor Khan, and Akshay Kumar. Despite its star-studded cast and high-octane action sequences, the film suffered from a convoluted plot, excessive style over substance, and poor character development. “Tashan” failed to impress viewers and incurred significant financial losses.
Kites [2010]:
Starring Hrithik Roshan and Barbara Mori, “Kites” aimed to be an international love story with a Bollywood touch. However, the film’s weak storyline, language barriers, and disjointed editing failed to resonate with both domestic and international audiences. Despite its ambitious production values, “Kites” suffered a massive commercial failure.
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Ra.One [2011]:
With superstar Shah Rukh Khan in the lead, “Ra.One” aimed to revolutionize Indian cinema with its cutting-edge visual effects and superhero storyline. Despite its grand ambition and massive budget, the film failed to deliver a compelling narrative and fell short of audience expectations. The film’s lackluster reception resulted in significant financial losses.
Bombay Velvet [2015]:
Directed by Anurag Kashyap and featuring Ranbir Kapoor and Anushka Sharma, “Bombay Velvet” aimed to recreate the glamorous Bombay of the 1960s, as well as make Anurag Kashyap a force to be reckoned with. However, the film’s convoluted plot, excessive length, and lackluster performances failed to engage viewers. Despite the high production values, “Bombay Velvet” turned out to be a box office disaster.
Jagga Jasoos [2017]:
“Jagga Jasoos” was a musical adventure film directed by Anurag Basu, starring Ranbir Kapoor and Katrina Kaif. While the film boasted visually stunning sequences and innovative storytelling techniques, its lengthy runtime and uneven pacing deterred audiences. The movie’s high production costs and delayed release further contributed to its commercial failure.
Tubelight [2017]:
Starring Salman Khan, “Tubelight” was a highly anticipated drama set against the backdrop of the Indo-China war. Despite the star power and emotional storyline, the film failed to strike a chord with the audience. Its weak script, predictable plot, and uninspiring performances led to its commercial failure.
Thugs of Hindostan [2018]:
Starring Aamir Khan and Amitabh Bachchan, this action-adventure film had a staggering budget and massive marketing hype. However, the movie’s weak storyline, poor execution, and negative word-of-mouth led to its downfall. Despite the star power and extravagant production, “Thugs of Hindostan” failed to resonate with audiences, resulting in significant losses.
Samrat Prithviraj [2022]:
“Samrat Prithviraj,” starring Akshay Kumar, was a highly anticipated historical drama. However, despite its grand production, massive budget, and a popular lead actor, the film failed to resonate with audiences and turned out to be a massive disaster. The film’s weak script, lackluster performances, and inadequate execution contributed to its commercial failure, leading to significant financial losses.
Adipurush [2023]:
Not sure about BYJUs, but if at all Hansal Mehta wants to extend his SCAM franchise, this movie should definitely be on his case study list. I mean, how can you take 700 crores, and make something as abhorrent and awful as this? Probably those who say that Ajay Devgn ghost directed “Tanhaji” aren’t wrong, especially after seeing this!
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While these 11 Indian movies ventured into uncharted territories, irrespective of their language or elaborate sets, they failed to strike a chord with audiences. Despite massive budgets and star-studded casts, weak scripts, poor execution, and mismatched expectations led to their commercial downfall. These examples serve as reminders that even with immense financial investments, success in the film industry depends on engaging storytelling, strong character development, and a genuine connection with the audience.
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