The Indian film industry has witnessed several high-budget spectacles over the past few years some achieving monumental success, while others collapsing spectacularly at the box office. Post the pandemic, as theatrical business began to stabilize, many filmmakers gambled big on scale, visual effects, and star power. Unfortunately, several such projects failed to strike a chord with audiences. Here’s a look at the biggest box office disasters in the post-pandemic era — films that carried immense hype but ended up as cautionary tales for producers.
1. Game Changer
Despite being one of the most anticipated films starring Ram Charan and directed by Shankar, Game Changer turned out to be a massive letdown. The film’s long production delays, uneven screenplay, and lack of emotional depth led to poor audience reception. Even with Shankar’s grandeur and Charan’s star power, the film couldn’t recover its enormous budget, marking it as one of the most shocking failures in recent times.
2. Indian 2
The sequel to Shankar’s 1996 classic Indian, this film had Kamal Haasan returning as the vigilante Senapathy. Expectations were sky-high, but the film’s outdated themes, overuse of VFX, and inconsistent pacing alienated audiences. Despite a decent opening, it crashed quickly and failed to justify its massive budget.
3. Adipurush
Touted as one of India’s biggest mythological epics, Adipurush starring Prabhas, Saif Ali Khan, and Kriti Sanon turned into an epic disaster. The film was criticized for its cartoonish VFX, cringe-worthy dialogues, and poor adaptation of the Ramayana. Even though it opened well, word of mouth killed its run, resulting in one of the biggest financial losses in Indian film history.
4. WAR 2
A sequel to the blockbuster War (2019), the film featuring Hrithik Roshan and Jr NTR came with huge expectations. However, poor writing, a predictable plot, and over-the-top action sequences led to audience disappointment. The film’s sky-high budget made recovery nearly impossible, turning it into a rare misfire for YRF’s Spy Universe.
5. Radhe Shyam
Another high-profile Prabhas project that faced a similar fate. Despite its lavish visuals and romantic premise, Radhe Shyam suffered from a weak script and slow pacing. The film couldn’t connect emotionally, and its theatrical run ended abruptly, making it one of the most expensive failures post-pandemic.
6. Kanguva
Marketed as a massive pan-India project starring Suriya, Kanguva promised an epic historical fantasy. However, the film’s bloated runtime, confusing screenplay, and lack of coherence led to poor audience response. Even though it had a grand opening weekend, it quickly lost steam and couldn’t sustain at the box office.
7. BMCM (Bad Miyan Chote Miyan)
Starring Akshay Kumar and Tiger Shroff, this action entertainer was expected to revive the genre. Instead, it was met with disastrous reviews and poor collections. The lack of story, excessive action, and forced humor resulted in one of the biggest flops for both actors.
8. Maidaan
Despite a strong performance by Ajay Devgn, Maidaan struggled due to poor promotions, multiple delays, and limited audience interest in sports dramas. The film received decent critical acclaim but couldn’t recover its heavy investment, ending up as a commercial disappointment.
9. Thug Life
Directed by Mani Ratnam and starring Kamal Haasan, Thug Life was envisioned as a stylish action drama. However, the film’s convoluted narrative and lack of emotional engagement failed to impress audiences. The film couldn’t capitalize on its legendary collaboration and ended up being another addition to the list of underperforming mega-projects.
10. Samrat Prithviraj
A big historical drama led by Akshay Kumar, this film was intended to celebrate the valor of the legendary king Prithviraj Chauhan. However, the poor screenplay, historical inaccuracies, and weak execution led to its downfall. The film’s colossal budget only amplified the losses for the producers.
Conclusion
The post-pandemic era has proven that star power and scale alone cannot guarantee success. Audiences have grown more discerning, demanding strong content and emotional connection over spectacle. These box office debacles serve as a reminder that even the mightiest stars and directors can falter without the right script and storytelling foundation.—Would you like me to add estimated losses or box office performance figures for each film to make it more detailed and data-driven?
