Abhay Deol recalls industry’s doubt on Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara’s success due to lack of villain: “Who will come to watch Hrithik Roshan’s inner conflict?”

Actor Abhay Deol, reflecting on his successful film Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara, revealed initial doubts about the movie's concept within the film industry.

By Bollywood Hungama News Network -

April 5, 2024 - 1:13 PM IST

Actor Abhay Deol, reflecting on his career in a recent interview with BBC News Hindi, revealed the initial scepticism surrounding his hit film Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara (ZNMD). Abhay shared that during the film's production, there was a general lack of faith within the Indian film industry regarding its potential success. The primary concern stemmed from the movie's unconventional narrative, which lacked a traditional villain and focused on the internal conflicts of its characters.

Abhay Deol recalls industry’s doubt on Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara’s success due to lack of villain: “Who will come to watch Hrithik Roshan’s inner conflict?”

Abhay said, “So many people in the film industry were asking ‘who is the villain? There is no villain. What is inner conflict? Who will come to watch Hrithik Roshan’s inner conflict?’ We were hearing this kind of chatter.”

Despite the industry's doubts, ZNMD, directed by Zoya Akhtar, went on to become a critical and commercial success. Abhay attributes this achievement to the film's overall packaging, including the star cast, the unique story set against a Spanish backdrop, and a budget that allowed for high production value. “That is how it was fresh. That these kind of actors and making this kind of film and in this budget, and it worked. But the film industry did not have much faith that it would work,” he explained.

The interview also touched upon Deol's film Manorama Six Feet Under, which did not achieve similar box office success. He highlighted the limited theatrical release and marketing budget as contributing factors. He spoke about the importance of film promotion in allowing audiences to discover unconventional cinema. Abhay concluded by suggesting that a lack of promotion restricts viewers' options and reinforces a preference for mainstream cinema. He spoke about the need for a balance between artistic merit and commercial viability.

Speaking of the professional front, he was last seen in Trial By Fire, a Netflix original series. He will be next seen in Bun Tikki, a Manish Malhotra film, also starring Shabana Azmi and Zeenat Aman.

Also Read: 12 Years of Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara: Farhan Akhtar raises a toast for Hrithik Roshan starrer; drops a special post