Prateik Babbar says ‘nonsense’ films have worked at box office after lockdown
Prateik Babbar discussed how films which might not be good, end up working at the ticket window. He will be next seen in Madhur Bhandarkar's India Lockdown releasing on December 2.
Actor Prateik Babbar is all set to treat the audience with his never-seen-before avatar in filmmaker Madhur Bhandarkar’s India Lockdown. Talking about the film, the actor in a new interview talked about the debacle of films at the box office since the lockdown. He shared how ‘nonsense’ films ended up working on the big screen compared to OTT platforms. Also read: India Lockdown trailer revisits horrors of Covid lockdowns
In India Lockdown, Prateik plays the role of migrant labour who faces the wrath of rising cases of covid-19 in India during 2020 and is forced to return to his hometown on foot. Talking about the film, Prateik alongside co-stars Shweta Basu Prasad, Aahana Kumra was joined by Madhur Bhandarkar. During the conversation, Shweta pointed out how the audience sees things differently in the post covid era.
Shweta told Siddharth Kannan, “The last two years have really filtered the audience’s palette as well. She said she feels films which used to work well at the box office are no longer performing the same. “Ab shayad OTT pe chal jayein (They might work on OTT),” quipped Aahana Kumra.
“Definitely, the palette has filtered, but I feel like it’s a 50-50. Because, I don’t want to take films or actors’ names, but films, in my opinion, which shouldn’t have worked, those which have been not been bakwas but just nonsense films, aaj kal woh bhi box office pe fatt rahin hain (Even nonsense films are doing good at the box office). I think that’s always been the case,” shared Prateik Babbar.
Shweta added that films working at the box office might not have a recall value despite generating money. She added, “Of course, films should make money and bring money to the industry. I am happy with that. But, I don’t think those films have a shelf life and that is okay.” Madhur Bhandarkar shared that the audience has become well-equipped with a variety of content on OTT platforms ever since the lockdown. He said that only a handful of films from the South film industry such as Kantara, RRR, Karthikeya, and Pushpa have brought people to the theatres while it was only Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2 and The Kashmir Files from Bollywood.
Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2 became one of the highest-grossing film of 2022 with over ₹266 crore at the box office worldwide. The Kashmir Files earned ₹340 crore worldwide. On the other hand, Brahmastra wrapped up with a business of ₹425 crore from across the world. Pan India films such as RRR, Ponniyin Selvan: I, KGF: Chapter 2, Beast, Vikram and Kantara are among the highest-performing films.
Meanwhile, India Lockdown will release on December 2 on Zee5.
