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Saif Ali Khan recently delivered yet another film that failed to make any moolah for its makers, adding to a long line of flops that have been the feature of his career for half a decade or so.
Kaalakaandi, Saif's latest release, hasn't made much of a splash in the Box Office, gathering Rs 3.5 crore in revenue on its opening weekend. His films from 2017 could not make much either, leading a lot of stakeholders to believe that the 47-year-old actor is well past his prime.
The last film with Saif Ali Khan in a leading role that managed to stay afloat at the Box Office was Cocktail, which released way back in 2012. The film was made with a budget of around Rs 53 crore and grossed over Rs 125 crore worldwide.
But ever since Cocktail released, Saif hasn't been much of a cause for happiness for his producers. Directed by Raja Krishna Menon, Chef was Saif’s last release before Kaalakaandi and earned a mere Rs 6.5 crore. His other film in 2017, Rangoon, which also featured Kangana Ranaut, made around Rs 21 crore.
“The kind of films that Saif is taking up, be it in the name of experimental films or realistic films, has not worked in his favour. Added to that Saif is a very selective actor and both the factors put together Saif has been unlucky with his films making money at the box office since Cocktail,” said film trade analyst Atul Mohan.
Phantom, released in 2015 and featuring Katrina Kaif, had fared comparatively better at box office, with collections of Rs 84 crore worldwide against a budget of Rs 72 crore. But other films from around the same time like Go Goa Gone and Bullet Raja in 2013, which made Rs 24 crore and Rs 36 crore, and Humshakals and Happy Ending in 2014, which made around Rs 61 crore and Rs 22.5 crore, respectively, were all bad investments for their producers.
In the midst of all these flops, Race 2 stood out with collections of Rs 95 crore, something that could be deemed at least semi-successful. All in all, featuring Saif Ali Khan in a movie in the last five years hasn't proven to be the best of decisions for his producers.
According to experts, with this extended chain of flops to his name, Saif’s career graph isn't looking too promising at the moment. Odds are that the veteran actor might not be offered too many roles, at least for the foreseeable future. And the fact that Saif charges a fee worthy of a veteran star, anything between Rs 4 crore and Rs 5 crore for a film, doesn't exactly endear him to a producer looking to invest.
In this backdrop, the actor's fans would have their fingers crossed for his upcoming release Baazaar to perform well.
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