This Akshay Kumar starrer was declared flop during its trial screenings. However, after the release, it became a sleeper hit at the box office.
Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3 director Anees Bazmee has made several successful comedy films, including No Entry, Welcome and Singh is King. All three have become memorable hits in Bollywood. Anees mentioned that while these films turned out to be Blockbusters and are now considered iconic, some of the films didn’t receive positive response initially. He shared the time when he was hospitalised due to stress after Welcome received early negative reviews.
In an interview with Hindustan Times, Bazmee recalled, “When I made Welcome, people had just one complaint – that this isn’t comedy. I told them this is what I have made and I can’t now go and tickle people in the theatre. This is the only kind of comedy I know how to make. I can’t put buffoonery, double entendre, and all. They are shortcuts and I don’t believe in them. I believe in writing comedy.”
However, during the trial runs of Welcome, not a single person laughed. Bazmee said, “Full trial runs of Welcome had not a single person laughing in the theatre. But when the film was released, people called it cult. Today, after 16-17 years of its release, people still call it relevant and make memes on it. So we must have done something right.”
When Anees Bazmee Was Hospitalised
Bazmee admits that he was confused for a while when all was happening though. “A person can be confused and forced to think if they did something wrong. Because in our society, people also say that if the whole world is saying something, consider it the truth. I believe in that and I am open to feedback,” he said
Due to stress, before the release, the filmmaker got hospitalised. He shared, “I was in a hospital. When a hundred people don’t like your film, you get stressed. I make one film at a time and that project becomes my battle. Today, I am at a stage where I can afford to have the one odd bad film, because I have a body of work behind me. At that time, I didn’t. On top of that, there were so many people linked to the film, including the financiers. So I was very stressed. On the hospital bed, I reviewed my script, scene-by-scene. At the end of two days, I came to the conclusion that this works. My conviction said this is something very nice.”
Welcome became a superhit, grossing over Rs 122 crore worldwide and receiving rave reviews. Today, it is considered a modern cult classic in Hindi Cinema. The film starred Akshay Kumar, Anil Kapoor, Nana Patekar, Katrina Kaif, Paresh Rawal, Feroz Khan, and Mallika Sherawat.
Well, Anees Bazmee’s upcoming film, Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3 is set to hit theatres on November 1. The horror comedy stars Kartik Aaryan, Vidya Balan, Madhuri Dixit, and Triptii Dimri.
Also Read:
