Boney Kapoor reveals he was shocked after Maidaan box office failure, says, "I failed to wonder why, we lacked..."

Boney Kapoor Maidaan

When Ajay Devgn’s Maidaan hit theatres in April 2024, it was expected to make waves, but the film’s box office reception was far from the anticipated success. Despite the positive reviews from critics, Maidaan failed to attract a large audience, earning less than Rs 70 crore at the box office. Looking back on the film’s commercial setback, producer Boney Kapoor admitted he was shocked by the film's underperformance. Speaking with News18, Boney shared his disappointment and reflections on the situation.

“Naturally, I was upset. I was very upset for a few days but then you’ve got to move on,” Boney Kapoor confided. He acknowledged the frustrations that come with the unpredictability of the film industry but also offered a perspective on how even legendary filmmakers like Raj Kapoor, known for his numerous hits and blockbusters, faced their own flops. “Raj Kapoor was the most prolific filmmaker. He made several hits and blockbusters. But he too had films that didn’t meet his expectations,” Kapoor added.

Kapoor’s shock was compounded by the high praise the film received prior to its release. “Maidaan was a shocker because before the film was released, everybody was very, very vociferous in praising the film. We had several screenings for the people of the film industry, and everybody used to be absolutely amazed and stunned by the film,” Kapoor explained.

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Many had been impressed by the film’s second half, with some critics pointing out that the first half was slightly slow-paced. “Of course, some of them felt that the first half was a little slow, but the second was absolutely extraordinary,” he recalled.

The disappointment wasn’t just confined to the audience, as even filmmakers within the industry expressed their surprise at the movie’s box office failure. “Some of the filmmakers also called me up, appreciated the film, and they also wondered why the film didn’t do well,” Kapoor revealed. Despite the film’s commercial performance, he remains hopeful that Maidaan could become an iconic film over time, much like Mr. India. “But I think it could be one of the iconic films like Mr. India in times to come," he said optimistically.

A central part of Kapoor’s reflection was his unwavering belief in the quality of the film itself. Defending the movie, he asserted that Maidaan showcased Ajay Devgn’s finest performance to date. “It is Ajay Devgn’s best performance to date. Everybody performed very well. His wife, Gajraj (Rao) and the players, the whole team had performed very well,” Kapoor said. He also praised the director, Amit Sharma, describing him as “almost like my son,” and lauded the work of actress Priyamani, who played a pivotal role in the film. “Priyamani was extraordinary.

There couldn’t have been a more perfect wife to that particular character,” he remarked, noting that every moment of the film felt real and immersive. “Every moment of the film seemed real, it looked like it was happening in front of you,” Kapoor added.
Despite his belief in the film's quality, Kapoor admitted that the elusive nature of box office success made it difficult to pinpoint exactly why Maidaan did not perform as expected.

“Somehow it didn’t draw enough crowd to the theatres. And I failed to wonder why it didn’t,” Kapoor admitted, acknowledging the complexities of film marketing and audience engagement. He speculated that a lack of promotional activity or an ineffective marketing strategy might have contributed to the film’s failure.

“Maybe we lacked some kind of promotional activity or probably it was not pitched rightly,” he mused. He also suggested that the film’s long production timeline, marred by pandemic-related delays, may have led audiences to lose interest. “Probably they thought that the film had come and gone because we were making it for four years. They didn’t realise we were stuck for 3 years because of COVID,” he explained.

Despite these factors, Kapoor’s pride in the film remains undiminished. “All in all, I remain proud of that film and I will remain proud of that film,” he concluded, emphasizing that the effort, passion, and artistry behind Maidaan were something he would stand by, regardless of its commercial performance.