Aditya Seal reacts to Khel Khel Mein's box office failure: People who watched, loved the film

Actor Aditya Seal recently opened about the underwhelming box office performance of his film Khel Khel Mein, which faced tough competition from Stree 2. Despite receiving rave reviews, the movie didn’t perform as expected at the ticket windows. In an exclusive interview with Hindustan Times, Aditya reflected on the failure and shared his thoughts on learning to detach from box office results, as well as his journey with the film and future projects.

Aditya expressed contentment with his year despite multiple releases not making a significant impact commercially. “You have to learn how to detach,” Aditya said, acknowledging the unpredictability of box office outcomes. He emphasized focusing on the positive reception the film received rather than dwelling on the numbers. He shared, “The only good thing that I took away from that film was that it was loved.” The actor mentioned that everyone who saw the film, including critics and fans, praised it as a “fabulous” piece of work and a “laughter riot.”

Reflecting on Khel Khel Mein’s commercial response, Aditya stated, “Doing the numbers or not doing the numbers is in nobody’s hands.” He added that creating a good film with the right intent and receiving appreciation from the audience is what he considers a job well done. Aditya feels validated by the positive feedback and believes that audience appreciation is more valuable than box office success.

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The film, which featured an ensemble cast including Akshay Kumar, Vaani Kapoor, Taapsee Pannu, and Fardeen Khan, was released on August 15 and competed against Stree 2, which featured Rajkummar Rao and Shraddha Kapoor. While Khel Khel Meingarnered critical acclaim, it couldn’t translate the same into box office success, leading Aditya to question the industry’s emphasis on numbers.

Aditya also shared his thoughts on playing a gay character in his latest project, Amar Prem Ki Prem Kahani. He mentioned that the film aimed to normalize relationships within the LGBTQ+ community and did not focus on the struggles for acceptance. “We have shown that the families have accepted them, and what next? It is normalizing this reality which exists,” Aditya said, highlighting the film’s intention to present a positive narrative around queer love stories.

He admitted that taking on the role of a gay character was not something he hesitated about, as it is a reality that exists and needs to be told. “We have friends who belong to the community. It is a reality that exists. And it was something that I haven’t done,” he explained, expressing his commitment to portraying diverse characters that go beyond the conventional expectations from a male lead in Bollywood.

In the aftermath of Khel Khel Mein, Aditya remains optimistic and focused on his upcoming projects. He is currently awaiting the release of Mere Husband Ki Biwi and another project with renowned actors Kajol and Prabhu Deva. Aditya mentioned that he wants to work on diverse projects and doesn’t want to be typecast. “I want my character to be recognized. They should not be just a regular boy next door. I just want to do something which is very interesting, something which challenges me,” he shared.

When asked about the experience of working on Amar Prem Ki Prem Kahani, Aditya revealed that it changed his perspective on the definition of love and acceptance. He pondered how society can have issues with something as fundamental as falling in love. “When it is legit to individuals who have the birthright of falling in love with anybody… Imagine you are in love with somebody but you are not allowed to express it… How do you control your natural emotions?” he questioned, reflecting on the complexity of emotions that arise when love is restricted by societal norms.

The actor concluded by expressing hope that his recent work will get the recognition it deserves. Khel Khel Mein has now been released on OTT, and Aditya believes it will garner the attention and appreciation it was intended for. “More than doing the numbers for me, it is about just making sure that a film like this, which has been received so well by people, should not go unnoticed,” he asserted.