Akshay Kumar experienced an unusual turn of events at the box office during the Independence Day 2024 weekend. Khel Khel Mein, where he played a leading role and was the film's primary box office draw, clashed with Stree 2 (released alongside Vedaa), in which he made a crucial cameo. While Stree 2 has been breaking records in theatres, with Akshay's cameo receiving much appreciation from fans, Khel Khel Mein, on the other hand, has performed disastrously at the box office. ‘Khel Khel Mein’ Movie Review: Akshay Kumar, Vaani Kapoor and Taapsee Pannu’s ‘Perfect Strangers’ Remake Is Boorish and Unfunny.
Although it was certainly a mistake to release the film alongside Stree 2, which was a predicted winner from the outset, the fact that Khel Khel Mein stood no chance against the horror-comedy has undeniably dented Akshay Kumar's box office reputation. Directed by Mudassar Aziz, Khel Khel Mein is an official remake of the 2016 Italian film, Perfect Strangers, and also stars Fardeen Khan, Taapsee Pannu, Vaani Kapoor, Ammy Virk, Aditya Seal, and Pragya Jaiswal.
At the time of writing, Khel Khel Mein has earned INR 17.05 crore at the box office. To appreciate just how poor this performance is for a multi-starrer film led by a superstar, it's important to consider the film’s production cost.
'Khel Khel Mein' Budget
Although the producers have not disclosed the exact budget, reports suggest that Khel Khel Mein was made on a budget of approximately INR 100 crore, including production and marketing costs. Given this, it's clear how significant the losses for the film are during its theatrical run. While you may argue that it is too soon to write an obituary since the movie has not even completed a week in theatres, there are no signs of a resurgence for Khel Khel Mein, while Stree 2 continues to dominate.
Even overseas, the film is underperforming. As of now, Khel Khel Mein's worldwide collections stand at INR 26.26 crore. Only a miracle can save the film at this point.
(Collections sourced from Bollywood Hungama)
'Why Khel Khel Mein' is Flopping at Box Office
So why is Khel Khel Mein struggling so much at the box office?
Here are four key reasons:
1. Akshay Kumar's Poor Box Office Streak
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While this isn't the primary reason Khel Khel Mein failed to attract audiences, Akshay's recent box office track record certainly played a role. Since the pandemic, only two of Akshay Kumar's films, Sooryavanshi and OMG 2, have succeeded at the box office; the rest have collapsed like a house of cards. In 2024 alone, Akshay has suffered three consecutive flops with Bade Miyan Chote Miyan, Sarfira, and now Khel Khel Mein. While the actor has dismissed questions about his box office form in the past with abrasive derision, it’s high time for the Khiladi to step back and consider the next steps how to rejuvenate his career. ‘Sarfira’ Box Office: Over 40 Akshay Kumar Movies Had Better Opening Weekend Collections Than His ‘Sooorarai Pottru’ Remake; Will ‘Housefull’ Star Manage To Come Back From This Setback?
2. Clashing With 'Stree 2'
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After Pushpa 2 and Singham Again moved out of the Independence Day 2024 slot, there was a rush to fill the gap. While we don't question the decision of the makers of Khel Khel Mein and Vedaa to choose this date, they underestimated the franchise appeal of Stree 2. Even when the horror-comedy generated more pre-release buzz, they didn’t back out, and the results are now clear. ‘Stree 2’ Box Office Collection Day 6: Shraddha Kapoor and Rajkummar Rao’s Film Nears INR 270 Crore Mark in India.
3. Lack of Blockbuster Songs
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A key way to catch the audience’s attention before a film’s release is to have catchy songs with engaging choreography, or at least a melodious soundtrack with long-term appeal, like in Kabir Singh or Shershaah. Consider how "Tauba Tauba" worked for Bad Newz or "Aai Nai" for Stree 2. Khel Khel Mein featured a couple of peppy numbers like "Hauli Hauli" and "Do U Know", but they weren’t catchy enough to draw fans to the cinema-halls.
4. Weak Audience Response
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Although Khel Khel Mein received some ‘positive’ reviews even before its release day - ahem, ahem - these didn't translate into good footfalls. To compete against a strong opponent like Stree 2, Khel Khel Mein needed strong word-of-mouth promotion from the audiences who watched the film over the initial days. However, with Stree 2 clearly being the superior film among the three releases, it became the audience’s first and only choice over the extended opening weekend and in the days following, while the other two movies got royally ignored in the process. Also, yes, IMO, Khel Khel Mein wasn't that good.
(The opinions expressed in the above article are of the author and do not reflect the stand or position of LatestLY.)
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 21, 2024 02:39 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).