Fighter Director's Logic on Why The Film Didn't Work Has Left Internet Asking 'Seriously?'

Siddharth Anand’s much-anticipated directorial venture, ‘Fighter,’ featuring the star-studded trio of Hrithik Roshan, Deepika Padukone, and Anil Kapoor, had set the stage for box office brilliance. However, the plot took an unexpected twist as the film, riding high on its successful 4-day extended opening weekend, hit a roadblock on its fifth day – also coincidentally its first Monday. The outcome was nothing short of anti-climactic.

In an attempt to shed light on the movie’s lacklustre performance, Mr. Anand, in a recent interview, delved into the intricate details, attributing the film’s tepid box office performance to the fact that a staggering 90% of Indians haven’t gotten on an airplane or strolled through an airport. According to his analysis, this aviation ignorance led to a disconnect, especially when it came to understanding the high-flying dogfights depicted in the film. Unsurprisingly, this explanation raised eyebrows and became the perfect fodder for internet trolls, leaving the online community collectively exclaiming, ‘Seriously?’

To quote the director himself, “Fighter is a huge leap for a filmmaker. It’s a space that is unexplored and absolutely new. It has no reference point for the audience. They are like, ‘What are these planes doing?’” During an engaging conversation with Galatta Plus, he further elaborated, saying, “There is a huge percentage of our country, I would say, 90 percent, who have not flown in planes, who have not been to an airport, so how would they know what’s happening in the movie? This is my dissection. They felt this is a little alien. They didn’t understand what kind of exhilaration they are supposed to feel in the air action, so there is a certain initial disconnect. But once you enter the theatre, you realise this is such a basic film.”

The ensuing viral clip sparked a virtual frenzy, with the internet firing off sarcastic comments faster than a dogfight in the movie.

One jested, “Animal Film was a blockbuster coz 90% people wake up in the morning and shoot 100s of people with a large machine gun.”

Another playfully added, “So Gadar is blockbuster because everyone has gone to Pakistan and ukado handpump and married their girl and came back to India.” Amidst the troll storm, a witty comment queried, “Was Oppenheimer a big hit in India as the majority of Indians understand nuclear science?” the fourth came in amidst the flurry of trolls that came just unstoppable.

Meanwhile, ‘Fighter’ managed to amass Rs 146.25 crore net in India during its eight-day theatrical run. The film’s global box office earnings now stand at an impressive Rs 250 crore.