Shelly Chopra Dhar on BO failure of Ek Ladki Ko Dekha Toh Aisa Laga: I don’t want to start blaming
Director Shelly Chopra Dhar is happy that the film has been doing well on OTT platform. She also talks about the film being screened internationally and the response so far.
Despite having a promising starcast — Anil Kapoor, Juhi Chawla, Rajkummar Rao and Sonam K Ahuja — the Bollywood film Ek Ladki Ko Dekha Toh Aisa Laga didn’t set the cash registers ringing at the box office. However, since its release on an OTT platform, which was exactly two months after its theatrical release on February 1, it has been doing quite well and garnering praise. Shelly Chopra Dhar, the filmmaker, is glad that more people are watching it.
Dhar wishes that the film should have done well in theatres, too. “When we were making the film, we were hoping that the audience will be able to connect [with the story and characters]. And by the audience I mean people from various walks of life, in cities and towns. But it did not. So, it does feel bad. And now that it’s doing so well on the web, it has made us happy,” she says.
What she feels went wrong with the film that touched upon on the topic of homosexuality? Shelly says, “I don’t know but I can’t start blaming anyone. Everyone from the crew to the cast, tried our best. We wanted to drive home a message and it has reached people who have watched it.”
Meanwhile, the film is doing rounds internationally as well. It was recently screened at the Cornell University and then at the National Geographic Society, Washington, D.C. “It might not have done well in theatres, but when this film is being shown in various other places and platforms, in a way the purpose is being fulfilled. We just wanted to start a dialogue,” says an elated Shelly.
Follow @htshowbiz for more