“Finding success beyond first weekend is important” – Mudassar Aziz on Khel Khel Mein’s journey at the box-office

Khel Khel Mein has proven resilient in the face of an initial box office lull. Director Mudassar Aziz says his film has shown that there is potential for films to gain momentum over time rather than relying solely on their opening weekends. “Films like Kantara and Pushpa, when they started out, did box office numbers across a stretch of days,” he said, in an interview

Aziz’s insights reflect a broader trend in the film industry, where audience behavior is increasingly influenced by content rather than immediate box office performance. “OTT viewers are willing to give legs to a film without being swayed by box office numbers,” Aziz observes, pointing out that these platforms provide a home where content can be appreciated independently of its financial performance.

The director candidly admits that the film’s initial performance was a source of concern but finds solace in the audience’s evolving response as the film has seen a 100% growth. “It would be wrong to say it doesn’t shake you in the beginning. Slowly what seeps in is the fact that your acid test is coming from the reactions,” Aziz shares, acknowledging the emotional rollercoaster that accompanies box office expectations. He further explained that the initial numbers can often be misleading, as they can be influenced by external factors like a hit song or a controversy, which may not necessarily reflect the film’s overall quality or appeal. “Numbers can be governed by several factors. In some cases, you will realize in the past that some films have landed up getting a great weekend, maybe only because of one song and then the film has found no legs. The unfortunate part is that even though a section of the audience and the trade is finally talking about the content of KKM and not the collections, it all boils down to people saying what’s the box office business,” he notes.