Gadar 2’s Anil Sharma says makers give ‘fake’ box office numbers, buy ‘tickets themselves’: ‘Audience says ye jhoothe log hain’

Anil Sharma said a wholesome Hindi film will always pull in the audience and the best example is Gadar 2, which is dominating the box office as well public discourse.

By: Entertainment Desk

Mumbai | August 28, 2023 04:35 PM IST

3 min read

Filmmaker Anil Sharma on Gadar 2's collections. (Photo: Anil Sharma/Instagram)

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Filmmaker Anil Sharma says the industry has resorted to an unfortunate practice of fudging box office collections of their films to show that their project is a “hit” but it is a damaging trend that only creates doubts in public. Sharma says his latest blockbuster Gadar 2, which has broken several records, has collections which are “real” and not hyped.

Led by Sunny Deol, Gadar 2 released on August 11 and has done a whopping business of Rs 456.95 crore in 17 days, becoming the fastest film to surpass the Rs 450 crore milestone. The previous record for the benchmark was held by Shah Rukh Khan’s Pathaan, which crossed Rs 450 cr in 18 days.

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In an interview with Puja Talwar, when asked about how certain event films of Bollywood failed to get the audience to theatres, Anil Sharma said a well-made, wholesome Hindi film will always pull in the audience. But it is sad that in the desperation to get a hit tag, sometimes makers take a route that shouldn’t be taken.

“What’s happening these days is, and it is a very sad thing, that sometimes a film, doesn’t become a hit, so the makers give fake numbers, buy tickets themselves and do a lot of other things to make their brand. But the audience feels cheated. That is damaging, because when another film comes, the audience doesn’t turn up. They feel, ‘Ye sab jhoote log hai, fake log hai.'”

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The director said Gadar 2 pulled in audience in huge numbers and also dominated the discourse off screen. None of that was manufactured for perception.

“In Gadar 2, we put out nett collections, everything is real. There is also real public watching the film. No one is questioning the collections of this film or calling it unreal. Logo ko sab dikh raha hai, people are watching the film, everyone is only talk about Gadar 2. Whenever films like these are made, people will come to watch.

“There was a time Sholay, Deewaar, Amar Akbar Anthony, Dharamveer, Mera Gaon Mera Desh and such films were made, which people would thoroughly enjoy in cinema halls, had that experience. When Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jaayegne released, people enjoyed a lot in cinema halls, same for Hum Aapke Hai Koun, Bajrangi Bhaijaan… So whenever the public enjoys, theatres will run houseful. You have to create moments where they can enjoy,” he added.

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Gadar 2 is now eyeing to cross the Rs 500 cr mark at the domestic box office, before Shah Rukh Khan’s Jawan releases on September 7. Gadar 2 will then hope to challenge the lifetime record of Pathaan–Rs 524 cr Hindi nett–which remains as the biggest Bollywood grosser in India.

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