Directed by Karan Johar says that while it has become a challenge to ensure audience participation in theatres, the notion that Bollywood is over is “rubbish”. The director, behind some of Hindi cinema’s biggest hits, said good films will always work at the box office.
“It’s all nonsense and rubbish. Good movies will always work. Gangubai Kathiawadi and Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2 have done huge numbers. We have also done numbers on JugJugg Jeeyo. Films that are not good can never work and have never worked,” Johar told PTI.
The director’s own production, Jug Jugg Jeeyo, starring Varun Dhawan and Kiara Advani, managed to collect over Rs 84 crore after its release last month. The film is currently streaming on Prime Video. Gangubai Kathiawadi and Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2 both earned over Rs 100 crore at the box office, but these blockbusters were overshadowed by the massive success of films from the South — Pushpa, RRR and KGF: Chapter 2.
The director said he hopes that the upcoming line-up of Bollywood films, which includes headliners from superstars Aamir Khan, Akshay Kumar and Salman Khan, will light up the box office. “Now we have a lot of big movies coming up. We have Laal Singh Chaddha, Raksha Bandhan, Brahmastra, then there is Rohit Shetty’s film and finally we end the year with a Salman Khan film. There is so much to look forward to. We have all the love, we just need to create the right content to create it,” he added.
The director, whose directorial venture Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahani is releasing next year, feels that it is not easy to live up to expectations. “Getting the audience in a movie theater is no longer easy. You need to make sure your movie, trailer, campaign is compelling to get those numbers. Live up to your reputation. Is it stress? Could. But it is more of a challenge and I like to face challenges,” he added.
Johar is currently hosting the seventh season of his popular chat show Coffee with Karanstreaming on Disney+ Hotstar.
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