The Lady Killer’ Faces Flop Despite Big Budget and Star Cast
Many big-budget Bollywood films were released last year, with varying responses from the audience. One such film is ‘The Lady Killer,’ which was written and directed by Ajay Bahl and released on November 3, 2023. Featuring prominent Bollywood actors Arjun Kapoor and Bhumi Pednekar in the lead roles, the film had high expectations.
Despite a substantial budget of 45 crores, ‘The Lady Killer’ did not achieve the anticipated success at the box office. Consequently, the film was removed from OTT platforms and has now been released on YouTube. So, how did Arjun and Bhumi’s film fare financially, and what are the reasons behind its lackluster performance?
Lack of Promotion Impacted the Film’s Performance
The movie ‘The Lady Killer’ suffered from insufficient promotion. There was no special marketing push before its release, and it was not promoted on social media or at the grassroots level. This lack of visibility significantly affected the film’s performance. ‘The Lady Killer’ earned only Rs 0.01 crore at the box office. Additionally, there has been no promotion regarding the film’s release on the official YouTube channel of T-Series. It is rumored that the film was not acquired by any OTT platform, leading to its release on YouTube.
Director Ajay Bahl’s Reaction
Director Ajay Bahl reacted to the film’s release on YouTube, stating, “Yes, this film is incomplete. Of the 117-page script, 30 pages were never filmed. Many scenes, including the romance between Arjun (Arjun Kapoor) and Bhumi, Bhumi’s struggle with alcoholism, and Arjun’s state of mind, are not fully shown.”
Ajay Bahl also mentioned, “Shooting for ‘The Lady Killer’ was very stressful. It wasn’t due to the actors. Working with Arjun Kapoor and Bhumi was quite intense. They even dedicated their lives to this film.” According to a report from ‘Times of India,’ filmmaker Bhushan Kumar had banned outdoor shooting due to continuous rain in Uttarakhand, where the film was supposed to be shot. This resulted in significant disruptions, contributing to the film’s disappointing release.
