Films on different subjects have been attempted over the years. But only a few of them could touch the hearts of the audience. In between all these, there have been some titles that initially flopped but were later appreciated for their outstanding content.
One thing that must be noted here is the association of popular faces with such films. No one could analyze what exactly went wrong with these titles. But people have continued watching them on YouTube and other platforms.
Let’s go ahead and check the list of these films.
1) No Smoking
Anurag Kashyap is an expert when it comes to creating realistic situations. But this was different. The premise was simple. A chain smoker gets caught in a situation where someone promises to make him quit his habit. It was a time when John Abraham’s focus was on every genre. It was one of the reasons that this film became a cult classic.
2) Kaante
Sanjay Gupta has always focused on bringing the dark world of crime to the big screen. The content is so great that it inspired Quentin Tarantino. Six suspects are in the custody of the cops. While they plan a bank heist, the situation takes a different turn when they start having doubts about each other. Featuring the greatest stars of the golden age, it was something that has never been repeated in Hindi cinema.
3) Anbe Sivam
It is common for films without mass masala elements to fail in the end. This was also one of them. Unfortunately, audiences could not recognize the good intention behind the film’s content. The main story was about two individuals going on a journey together. One of them starts narrating his flashback while they wait for a train. While the ticket counter could not attract crowds, it was praised at the Filmfare Awards.
4) Lucia
Sandalwood is known for making intelligent cinema. One of the rarest films to be created by accumulating funds from the general public, the premise was so unique that it was very new to the audience. This is why it possibly could not connect with the masses. The main lead played two characters. One existed in reality and the other in a dream. The latter happens after consuming a pill.
5) Vedam
Many people believe that Allu Arjun has done many films only as a hero. But years ago, he was a part of Krish Jagarlamudi’s anthology. Despite popular faces, it did not work as expected. The lead characters meet each other at a hospital, and they belong to different backgrounds. Online users also believe that the Adults Only certificate originally restricted its reach to everyone.
6) Ee.Ma.Yau
Malayalam cinema has always prioritized the best content on a low budget. Lijo Jose Pellissery created headlines with Jallikattu. But his independent tragedy also made audiences realize his potential. Although the business was not so great, the story was very new. An individual dies in the beginning, leading to chaos among the other characters as the film progresses.
7) Ship of Theseus
Some films are so different that you cannot even compare them with cult classics. Anand Gandhi’s drama also explored multiple subjects in a runtime of more than two hours. The main characters included a photographer, a monk, and a stockbroker. With very little appeal to the masses, it was not a big success. But it has continuously received appreciation for all these years.
8) Aaranya Kaandam
Just like Udta Punjab, this gangster drama landed itself in trouble. The censor board refused to let it go without multiple cuts. But thanks to Delhi’s Central Tribunal, the issues were sorted. Unfortunately, the box office rewards were not so big. The popular faces and low budget could not attract crowds. Things changed with time, helping it to become a recipient of two accolades at the National Film Awards.
9) Hey Ram
Most people hardly know that this is the only Tamil film in Shah Rukh Khan’s credits. With another popular face, Kamal Haasan, it featured a man narrating a story of his grandfather, who is about to pass away. The premise was also smartly linked to the death of Mahatma Gandhi. But none of these helped it achieve big at the box office. The positive reviews have made it a cult classic.
10) 1: Nenokkadine
People have a misconception that Heropanti was Kriti Sanon’s debut. But this psychological action-thriller was the one that marked her entry into films. Moreover, the man behind this work was Sukumar, who has built a big fan base with Pushpa. Then there was Superstar Mahesh Babu in the lead. However, the collaboration did not bring good results at the box office. But it has been watched multiple times by the audience over the years.
Bollywood is going through a bad phase. Specifically, after 2023, the situation has taken a worse turn. Films that created buzz before release have not worked as expected. Now the question is whether any of these titles would end up in the above-mentioned list in the future.
