10 Bollywood Movies That Turned Into The Biggest Flops of the Decade
There are times when a Bollywood movie with no star power does wonders; and then there are times when the best directors, producers, actors, the sky-high budget can’t save a movie from tanking.
Bollywood, despite the insane intensity it generates, may be a misty dream. It occasionally serves up films with a lot of content statement. It also relies on celebrity power to generate thoughtless hits at times. And, despite the general belief that storytelling is losing favour in recent years, flops are not a new phenomena in Bollywood. Or, for that matter, any film industry. Every time a film fails to nail even one single strand, it is doomed to fail. While dedicated fan communities and celebrity status might sometimes save the day, the final decision is nearly always content prejudiced.From bankrupting producers to ruining actors, even a single flop can be hazardous to the showbiz industry.
Here’s a list of the most anticipated films that disappointed critics and flopped at the box office
1. Bombay Velvet
Source: India TV
The 2015 film Bombay Velvet was a hugely ambitious project with numerous A star listings, yet it turned out to be one of Bollywood’s biggest disappointments. Bombay Velvet failed badly both critically and commercially, despite the presence of Ranbir Kapoor and Anushka Sharma in a film that also saw Karan Johar take the actor’s hat. The film, which was made on a budget of 120 crores, only managed to recoup about 43 crores, making it a flop. Bombay Velvet, on the other hand, was a complete flop, despite strong performances and a well-planned marketing campaign. Anurag Kashyap’s directorial inconsistencies, as well as the confusing narrative, were heavily criticised. With record low audience turnout, Bombay Velvet was pulled down from most theaters owing to empty halls.
2. Kites
Source: Sony Liv
Rakesh Roshan aimed for international recognition with Kites. However, not everything goes according to plan. The film, directed by Anurag Basu, had a large budget, was shot in foreign locations, and starred Hrithik Roshan, Barbara Mori, and Kangana Ranaut. However, it was a disappointment due to a cliched storyline.
“I was just going there and directing,” Basu remarked of Kites, according to an article in HT. And we’d talk about how we’d carry it out. I wasn’t thinking about the market or returns… It began as a modest independent label. With four or five individuals making decisions, everything was starting to take shape. My vision and Rakeshji’s were also distinct. Eventually, yeh naa idhar ka raha, naa udhar k. Na gaon pe pahuncha na Hollywood mein (It didn’t attract Indian or Western audiences).”
3. Saawariya
Source: Reelgood
Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s films are recognised for their lavish settings and lavish costumes. Even while Ranbir and Sonam Kapoor were fortunate to begin their careers with SLB, we can’t say the same for the film’s producer. The movie was a snooze fest, with the songs serving as the sole redeeming feature. However, movie bombed at the box office, grossing only Rs 36 crores.
4. Shaandaar
Source: Amazon
The box office receipts of this film, contrary to its name, were not particularly impressive. Shaandaar was one of the most anticipated films of 2015, thanks to the presence of Shahid Kapoor and Alia Bhatt. However, the star power, magnificent sets, and smash hits couldn’t compensate for the lack of a narrative. According to BoxOffice India, the film made a total of Rs 39.48 crores.
5. Ra. One
Source: India Today
Ra.One may have been Shah Rukh Khan’s most ambitious production, but it remains one of Bollywood’s biggest flops. Khan’s 2011 superhero picture, had the largest foreign cinema release for an Indian film at the time. Ra.One succeeded to collect the income despite the fact that it was preceded by huge viewership and commercial expectations. However, rather than the applause that comes with becoming a true successful picture, the majority of the funds raised by this ambitious undertaking were the product of well-thought-out strategy.
Ra has received mostly unfavourable reviews, with complaints ranging from narrative to directing to screenwriting. One didn’t even come close to being the phenomenon it promised to be. Ra.One, on the other hand, was praised for its technical accomplishments, even if some critics thought the visual effects were “all over the place.” Ra.One has to be one of Bollywood’s biggest flop movies, despite being a considerably less stunning outing than what was conceived out of it.
6. Yuvraj
Source: Zayed Khan
To everyone’s astonishment, there is a Salman Khan film that did not make it into the Rs 100 crore club. The film, which starred Katrina Kaif, Anil Kapoor, Mithun Chakraborty, Zayed Khan, and Boman Irani, was a disappointment, grossing only Rs 16 crores.
7. Kalank
Source: pinterest
Massive sets, a mega-star cast, and elaborate costumes: Kalank had it all, including a script that moved at a snail’s pace. On the first day, it brought in Rs 20 crores. Varun Dhawan’s career began with this film, which was his first failure. Dhawan remarked in a YouTube video that he uploaded, “Today is my 32nd birthday… But I’ll tell you how everything went down. I was depressed since my most recent release did not go as planned, and it hit me hard, to be honest. I had no idea how to respond. ‘Don’t show it,’ a lot of people warned me. I’m not sure how to act like that. Failure is an inevitable part of life.”
Starring Varun Dhawan, Alia Bhatt, Madhuri Dixit, Sonakshi Sinha, Sanjay Dutt and Aditya Roy Kapur, the movie collected Rs 78 crore in the domestic box office, as per News18.
8. Tubelight
Source: Medium
This was after Salman Khan was named the 100 Crore Club’s brand ambassador. Tubelight, a film with a budget of Rs 135 crores, barely grossed Rs 119 crores at the box office. However, the plot was far superior to that of most of his films.
9. Zero
Source: TOI
Zero was a perfect example of how not every Shah Rukh Khan film can be a hero. Katrina Kaif and Anushka Sharma played the leading ladies, while SRK played a dwarf. According to TOI, the film struggled for a long time to break even Rs 100 crores, but eventually raked in Rs 178 crore worldwide.
10. Himmatwala
Source: IMP Awards
Himmatwala, released in 2013, is unquestionably one of Bollywood’s greatest flops. Tamannaah’s Bollywood comeback was highlighted with Himmatwala, a remake of another remake. The film, which also stars Ajay Devgn and was made on a budget of 680 million dollars, only made 65.79 crores at the box office. Himmatwala was panned by critics for making such a poor attempt to recreate a popular 1980s film, and it was even described as a cheesy experience at best. Himmatwala may probably be the outright flop movie of Bollywood, as it is completely unwatchable and nonsensical.