Director Aanand L Rai recently opened up about his 2022 family drama Raksha Bandhan, starring Akshay Kumar, admitting it marked a rare misstep in his career where he misjudged audience expectations. The film became a commercial disappointment despite its heartfelt sibling story. Rai confessed on Galatta Plus that Raksha Bandhan was the first time he tailored a story for specific audiences in two- and three-tier cities, straying from his instinct-driven filmmaking.
“I totally faltered there. This is the first time in my entire journey of filmmaking that I decided that this is the kind of story needed by a certain section of the audience, where we’re not telling them great stories. I never decide. I make films. I like a story, I make a film. Raksha Bandhan was the only film where I actually judged my audience,” the filmmaker said.
He further explained, “This is the kind of story which should be told simply. I used to take a flight with my story in which I’d discover myself. In this case, I thought I knew what I was doing. If you look at the film, it was beautifully formatted, which never worked for me.”
As the conversation progressed further, he called the decision a 'blunder' from inception, as his motivation was flawed. He said, “The reason for getting onto the floors was wrong. It had nothing to do with the success or the failure. I’ve failed with the films which I’ve taken on that flight. Here, the problem was that before I started, my reasoning was wrong. The problem was not with the script. The problem was with the director and the expectations of this director. If you ask me, did I enjoy the process? I enjoyed being with Akshay sir. He was real. He was performing with total belief. But maybe this director’s heartbeat wasn’t with that rhythm. Somewhere, it didn’t land the way I was looking at it.”
Rai's latest, Tere Ishk Mein, with Dhanush and Kriti Sanon, has redeemed him. This reunion with Dhanush and AR Rahman—previously in Raanjhanaa and Atrangi Re—ranks as Rai's second-highest-grosser after Tanu Weds Manu Returns.
More Pages: Raksha Bandhan Box Office Collection , Raksha Bandhan Movie Review
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