Bollywood has the chance to produce movies in a league of its own. With almost one a half billion potential viewers, it is no surprise that the filmmaking industry has been booming in India for over five decades. However, with 42 films produced in 2022 alone, it is predictable that Bollywood will suffer an occasional flop here and there.
It doesn't really matter how much money, time, or effort goes into making a film. At the end of the day, predicting the audience’s reaction is more of an art than a science. Even the most skilled professionals cannot tell if a movie will fall flat and miss the mark. After all, nobody gets into the business hoping to create box office bombs; there are large crews working endlessly for months or years and careers at stake. However, when a viewer doesn’t connect with the content put on the screen, even the greatest powers of the world cannot save a flick from crashing. Here are Bollywood’s 20 most fascinating failures.
20 Tubelight (2017)
Salman Khan hasn’t had any luck with blockbusters in the last decade. After the massive success garnered by Bajrangi Bhaijaan, the star returned in 2017 with a brand-new film with a promising story. Set in pre-independence India, the movie revolves around Laxman, a boy with intellectual disabilities who grew up around bullies despite his younger brother, Bharat, having his back. The boys somehow get through Independence, and when another era falls upon them and Bharat is drafted into the army, Laxman is left with nothing and must defend himself. He ends up making friends with a Chinese boy and a girl.
Salman Khan Striking out
Director Kabir Khan got the inspiration for Tubelight from Alejandro Gómez Monteverde’s touching true-story film Little Boy. While the original is considered a masterpiece, the Bollywood version fails to capture the magic. The movie had a strong opening but soon faltered at the box office, falling below expectations. Costing approximately $23 million, the movie only made around $32 million at the box office.
Tubelight is currently not available for streaming.
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19 Guzaarish (2010)
Starring two of the greatest actors Bollywood has produced, this 2010 entry by Sanjay Leela Bhansali only had one good thing about it – the songs. Guzaarish is a heart-rending story about Ethan, who used to be a highly acclaimed magician. Now a quadriplegic, Ethan has lost his will to live and has filed a petition for euthanasia. Meanwhile, there are only two people in his life: Omar, a young magician who wishes to learn from Ethan, and Sofia, his nurse.
Two of Bollywood's Biggest Stars Could not Keep Guzaarish Afloat
Hritik Roshan and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan are both incredible actors, and while the film gives them a place to shine and delivers some beautifully shot scenes, it still lacks the basics to become a commercial hit: the storyline falls flat with a clumsy, choppy narrative. Off an estimated budget of $8.92 million, the movie only managed to gross $7.29 million worldwide.
You can rent Guzaarish on Apple TV.
18 Players (2012)
A heist film that goes in all sorts of terrible directions, Players was director duo Abbas–Mustan’s attempt at reviving the action thriller genre. An official remake of The Italian Job by F. Gary Gray (2003), the movie follows Charlie Mascarenhas and his sidekick Riya, who are supposedly the greatest pairs of cons in the country. When they learn that a train from Russia to Romania will be carrying out a transfer of gold ingots, Charlie decides to assemble a team of the best people and rob the train. With a talented hacker, a magician, an explosives expert, and a makeup artist on their side, Charlie and Riya embark on their supposedly perfectly planned heist.
A Heist Film that Couldn't Make Bank
Despite being inspired by a Hollywood success, the movie remains unable to deliver a good watch. With bad acting, cringe-worthy visuals, and overall bland drama and action, Player is a certified flop. Players was a vast disappointment at the box office, bringing in only $7.3 million worldwide, making less than its approximate $9.6 million budget.
Players is currently available to stream on Netflix.
17 Tezz (2012)
Loosely inspired by the 1975 Japanese thriller The Bullet Train, this 2012 film by Priyadarshan takes on the same premise and fashions a renewed action spectacle, but without much action and a faded spectacle. Tezz centers around Aakash, an immigrant who is deported from the UK on the grounds of staying in the country illegally. Years later, he returns to London, looking for revenge. He devises a plan with his former employees and plants a bomb on a train, endangering the lives of at least 500 passengers. Hot on his tail is railway control officer Sanjay Raina and retiring counter-terrorism officer Arjun Khanna.
A Failed Take on a Classic Thriller
The movie takes all the tropes from one of the best Hollywood action thrillers and mixes them up with choppy camerawork and flashy editing, hence its spot on this list. Tezz cost approximately $10 million but only pulled in $4.3 million globally.
You can rent Tezz on Apple TV.
16 Joker (2012)
Akshay Kumar is probably the only actor in the industry who works 365 days a year, with at least three movie releases a year since his rise to fame. With such a heavy output, it is only natural for some projects to fail. Joker is a science fiction adventure born from the mind of Shirish Kunder. It tells the story of Agastya, a scientist, and his girlfriend, Diya who travel to the fictional town of Paglapur to check up on his father’s health. But upon arrival, they realize that the village folk are ridden with plight and the people are still living in fear of the Germans. Agastya decides to improve their situation by lying to them about an alien invasion.
A Bizarre Sci-Fi Mess
The movie is as bizarre as its plot. It contains shots of UFOs and artificial aliens so that the protagonist can anchor his lie. A disappointment from start to finish, Joker is a movie you should stay 10 yards away from. Joker only grossed around $5.5 million from its $7 million budget.
Joker is currently not available for streaming.
15 Once Upon a Time in Mumbai Dobaara! (2013)
When it comes to sequels, Bollywood has made several attempts at capturing the brilliance of predecessors, and only few have turned out to be good. Once Upon a Time in Mumbai Dobaara! simply isn’t one of them. The original 2010 movie by Milan Luthria, Once Upon a Time in Mumbai, was a hit, garnering a massive fanbase. But the sequel fails to deliver on the gangster drama it promises.
A Horrible Sequel
The story takes place twelve years later, with don Shoaib Khan taking over as the mafia leader after murdering Sultan Mirza. When he takes slum kid Aslam under his wings, conflict arises because they both fall in love with the same woman. The biggest letdowns of the film were its casting and character development. Once Upon a Time in Mumbai Dobaara! made slightly over its budget of $15.65 million at the box office.
Once Upon a Time in Mumbai Dobaara! is currently unavailable for free online streaming.
14 Zanjeer (2013)
Filmed synchronously in Hindi and Telugu, Zanjeer is a modern remake of the 1973 classic movie of the same name. Taking on Amitabh "Big B," Bachchan’s iconic role is Ram Charan, who was quite popular in the South but only got acquainted with a broader audience with his big Bollywood debut. The movie follows Charan’s character ACP Vijay Verma, an honest officer fighting against corrupt society and privileged politicians spreading their dirt. His greatest foe is Teja, an infamous and dishonorable gangster.
Bumbling a Precious Property
The original Zanjeer is Bollywood’s precious property, and the remake only tarnishes its glory. The acting and dialogue delivery are lacking, and the film features too many songs, ultimately distracting the audience from the narrative. Zanjeer only made $3.8 million on its approximate $5.4 million budget.
Zanjeer is currently not available for free online streaming.
13 Bombay Velvet (2015)
Johnny (Ranbir Kapoor) is a mild-mannered, down-on-his-luck commoner who wants nothing more than to win Rosie (Anushka Sharma)’s affection. The quickest way, he believes, is to get involved in crime and display his suave and unforgiving attitude along the way. However, the seedy underworld poses its own challenges.
Bad Script, Suprisingly Subpar Performances
Directed by Anurag Kashyap, Bombay Velvet features an ensemble cast that includes Ranbir Kapoor, Anushka Sharma, Kay Kay Menon, Vicky Kaushal, and Karan Johar. Promising to deliver a heavy gangster drama, the movie was a huge box-office flop. Against a production budget of $18 million, the movie only made around $6.47 million due to its patchy script and surprisingly weak acting.
Bombay Velvet is currently not available for streaming.
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12 Shaandaar (2015)
Shaandaar follows the high jinks pulled by Jagjinder Joginder, a wedding planner who isn’t just doing his job of planning the lavish wedding of Bipin Arora’s daughter, but also willfully pouring himself in their family drama and falling for Alia Arora, the bride-to-be. Set in London, the film has an attractive aesthetic, but is often downplayed by sloppy writing and over-the-top pranks at the hands of an otherwise promising cast.
Famous Actors Couldn't Save This Stale Comedy
Actress Alia Bhatt has had a remarkable streak in her decade-long career. She started off strong with the coming-of-age romance Student of the Year, then went on to deliver hits such as Highway and 2 States. Shaandaar was her first (and only) film with Shaahid Kapoor. Considering how talented both actors are, fans had high expectations, but the movie didn’t quite hit the sweet spot. Shaandaar made a slight profit at the box office, earning $14.12 million off its $9 million budget, but it still fell vastly short of expectations.
Shaandaar is currently available to stream on Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and Netflix basic with Ads.
11 Fitoor (2016)
The only win for Fitoor was its mesmerizing, instantly addictive soundtrack that featured songs like ‘Pashmeena’ and ‘Tere Liye.’ Starring Aditya Roy Kapoor and Katrina Kaif, this 2016 film directed by Abhishek Kapoor attempts to depict a moving story about love separated by class and society. Noor is a penniless Kashmiri boy who is hired by a wealthy begum as a stable keeper. Days pass by and his brief encounters with the begum’s daughter, Firdaus, turn into something intense. When the begum learns of their relationship, she sends Noor away.
A Horrible Adaptation of Charles Dickens
To think that the film is based on Charles Dickens’ internationally acclaimed novel Great Expectations is shocking. The filmmakers had a source material with incredible potential, and due to weak dialogue and poor direction, they did not make the most of it. On a budget of approximately $9 million, Fitoor only managed to bring in $3.45 million globally.
Fitoor is currently available to stream on Netflix.
10 Mohenjo Daro (2016)
Mohenjo Daro tells the story of farmer Sarman, who arrives in the historical city of Mohenjo Daro to find employment. The city is ruled by a ruthless tyrant whose relationship with Sarman goes back a long way. However, their relationship turns sour when Sarman falls in love with the woman promised to the tyrant Maham's son.
Three Years of Research Did Not Pay Off
Ideally, period dramas give you the feeling of escapism. The viewer indulges in the movie for a couple of hours and finds themself transported to a time in history where they wish they were living. But that is not the case with this big-budget production. With Mohenjo Daro, director Ashutosh Gowariker aimed to bring the glory of the Indus Valley civilization to the silver screen using vivid color and grandiose sets. Despite delivering an impressive set design, Gowariker’s three years' worth of research and script writing failed to strike a chord with the audience. The movie only managed to make $16.1 million off its budget of around $17.2 million.
Mohenjo Daro is currently available to stream on Netflix.
9 Jagga Jasoos (2017)
An adventure comedy written and directed by Anurag Basu,Jagga Jasoos gives off a whimsical vibe. Whether it is the aesthetic or the music, the movie doesn’t quite meet the expectations set by its trailers and promotions. The story follows Ranbir Kapoor’s titular character, who is a teenager. Jagga’s adoptive father leaves him at a boarding school and goes missing, awakening Jagga’s detective skills, who, after growing up, goes in search for the man along with a journalist friend.
Falling Short of the Hype
The premise is nothing extraordinary, but there is a lot that could have been done with the narrative to make it more touching and thought-provoking. Instead, it turns out to be a half-baked story that spiraled into one of Bollywood’s biggest meltdowns. Jagga Jasoos made $13.5 million at the box office, with a budget estimated between $11.6 million and $20.3 million.
Jagga Jasoos is currently available to stream on Netflix, and Netflix basic with Ads.
8 Raabta (2017)
Sushant Singh Rajput and Kirti Sanon star in this love story that features classic Bollywood tropes like reincarnation and romantic battles. In the movie, Shiv and Saira are star-crossed lovers. Their chance meeting draws them close and soon, they’re head over heels in love with each other. Complications arise when Saira’s former lover is reincarnated and back in his life, bringing up things for the past that she wishes to forget.
First Time Director's Failure at the Box Office
Beginner director Dinesh Vijan tries to pack vibrant sets and pulsating musical numbers to the story. However, the project lacked a compelling story and suffered from poor execution. Raabta cost around around $7 million to make, and only brought in around $3,5 million globally.
Raabta is currently not available for streaming.
7 Jab Harry Met Sejal (2017)
A Shah Rukh Khan film failing to make it work at the box office is a rare sight. But it seems like 2017 was not a year for the superstar director. Written and directed by Imtiaz Ali, the master of creating original and refreshing romantic comedies, Jab Harry Met Sejal revolves around Sejal, an energetic and colorful woman who accidentally loses her engagement ring while on a trip to Europe. She comes across Harry, a tour guide, who offers to help her find it. The pair goes searching around gorgeous local eateries and along the way, forming an unlikely bond.
A Surprising Failure
Both Anushka Sharma and SRK brought their signature charm and on-screen chemistry, but the film suffered from an overall preachy tone and boring pace. It seemed like the characters were more obsessed with giving a message rather than having fun. While making a profit at the box office, $23.2 million off a $13.5 million budget, the movie fell vastly short of expectations.
Jab Harry Met Sejalis currently not available for streaming.
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6 Aiyaary (2018)
Aiyaary is a spy thriller that went terribly wrong in several aspects. Considering the fact that director Neeraj Panday has released remarkable films like Special 26, A Wednesday, Baby, and M.S. Dhoni: The Untold Story, it is astonishing just how much depth and emotion is missing from this 2018 project.
Lack of Depth and Emotion Made This a Box Office Bomb
Aiyaary centers around two intelligence officers – Colonel Abhay Singh and his star trainee Jai Bakshi – who feel divided because of their contrasting opinions. When Bakshi cannot take it anymore, he goes rogue and threatens to take down the entire government. On screen, the two officers get caught in a deadly game of betrayal, and off-screen, the audience relates to the feeling. The long runtime of 160 minutes is not helped by lengthy character introductions and convoluted storytelling. Aiyaary cost $8.5 million and only brought in $4.5 million at the global box office.
Aiyaary is currently not available for streaming.
5 Mera Naam Joker (1970)
Legendary actor and director Raj Kapoor spent more than six years crafting this opus and even went bankrupt in the process. One of the most shocking flops in the history of Bollywood, Mera Naam Joker chronicles Raju’s tumultuous journey as a commoner, who feels life slipping from his hands. But when he dons the costume of a clown at the circus and paints his nose red, he manages to make people laugh and bring them joy.
A Movie that Bankrupted a Screen Legend
As a result of its thematic intimacy and extra-long length of four hours and fifteen minutes, the movie failed to appeal to the critics as well as the audience. Few knew of the efforts that went into making the film, with Kapoor being destroyed financially and RK Studios nearly being shut down and mortgaged. It wasn’t until decades later that the film received appreciation, mainly for its haunting portrayal of character struggles. The movie cost $199,351 to make, a financial failure in India, the movie later recouped its losses earning $22.13 million in the soviet Union.
Mera Naam Joker is currently not available for streaming.
4 Mela (2000)
With its star-studded cast including Aamir Khan, Faisal Khan, Twinkle Khanna, Archana Puran Singh, and Johnny Lever, Mela had an enormous hype surrounding it prior to the release. Envisioned as a New Year blockbuster, the masala drama centered around two inseparable friends, Kishen and Shankar, who decide to become the emotional support for a woman in their village, Roopa. They also vow to avenge her family’s death and go up against a powerful man. But in doing so, they put their friendship on the line.
A Marriage Proposal in Exchange for a Failed Film
Before the movie hit the screens, the lead actress, Twinkle Khanna, was proposed by Akshay Kumar (another great actor in the industry) for marriage and in response, Twinkle said that if Mela flopped, she would marry Akshay. Almost two decades later, the pair is happily married with two children. It turned out that the movie was distasteful for the audience, with strange directing of the actors towards a menacing tone that brought no chemistry to the screen. With a budget of around $5.3 million, the movie only brought in $3.3 million at the global box office.
Mela is currently not available for streaming.
3 Himmatwala (2013)
Another remake that may have looked impressive on paper but suffered from a muddled execution, Himmatwala tries to bring back the charm of the '80s classic. Still set in 1983, this official remake follows the tale of Ravi, who seeks revenge for his father’s wrongful death, so he woos the daughter of an evil landlord and marries her.
A Panned Remake of a Beloved Film
The movie is a sorry attempt at reviving a good script by blending it with contemporary humor. Ajay Devgn and Tamannaah Bhatia have zero chemistry, which is why their back-and-forth and harmless jokes seem shocking and insensitive. Moreover, the film also lacks the luster of the original 1983 Himmatwala and the sheer grandiosity that made it a memorable film gets lost in translation to evolving tastes, disappointing not just the newer generation but also the retro buffs. Costing an estimated $10 million, Himmatwala only brought in $8.6 million worldwide.
Himmatwala is currently not available for streaming.
2 Saawariya (2007)
Early in his writing career, Fyodor Dostoevsky wrote a short story titled White Nights, which was adapted into a movie by Bollywood royalty Sanjay Leela Bhansali in 2003. The movie tries to distract the audience by using frame-worthy imagery, nighttime aesthetic, and soulful music. But somehow, it is not enough. Ranbir Kapoor made his acting debut in the movie, starring as Ranbir Raj, a wandering artist who arrives in a mystical town and meets Sakina, a beautiful young woman awaiting her lover, Imaan. Raj does not believe in promised love, so he strikes up a conversation with Sakina and tries to win her affection. At the same time, Gulabji, a sex worker, pines for Raj.
An Ambition Project That Lacked Heart
Saawariya was a critical and commercial disaster because the story lacked substance. Bhansali prioritized the visuals over characters, leaving the viewer detached from their emotions. Saawariya would go on to make $20.05 million worlwide (only earning $885,574 domestically), but fell short of expectations with its $10.8 million budget.
Saawariya is available to rent on Apple TV, Prime Video, and YouTube.
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1 Kalank (2019)
A feast for the senses but not for the heart, Kalank was Dharma Productions’ most ambitious project of 2019. The big budget period drama brought together an all-star ensemble including Alia Bhatt, Varun Dhawan, Madhuri Dixit Nene, Sonakshi Sinha, Aditya Roy Kapoor and Sanjay Dutt. Its grand setting in pre-independence British era recreated the wonderful imagery of 1940s Lucknow, with the story revolving around six individuals from different parts of the city embroiled in a single tale of love and betrayal, revenge and hardships.
Falling Short of Its Potential
It is undeniable that the movie had great potential to be a hit, but ultimately it failed to juggle multiple storylines. Despite being framed beautifully and showcasing stunning costumes, its focus on too many characters left the story superficial instead of bringing any emotional depth. Kalank had a moderate performance, earning $17.99 million globally, but with the high production cost of around $18.1 million was a failure.
Kalank is currently available to stream on Amazon Prime Video.
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