EXCLUSIVE: Kabir Khan on ‘dishonest’ reports surrounding Ranveer Singh starrer 83- “Film cannot be stopped by a few trade analyses”

January 17, 2022 - 5:45 PM IST

Kabir Khan’s directorial 83 starring Ranveer Singh which was released in theatres on December 24, 2021, was unanimously hailed by critics. However, shortly after its release, India once again saw a sharp rise in COVID-19 cases leading to several governments announcing restrictions and people unwilling to step into the theatres. In a recent interview with Bollywood Hungama, Kabir Khan spoke about the trade analyses and opinions on the performance of the film and how most analyses neglected the impact of the third wave on the film.

EXCLUSIVE: Kabir Khan on ‘dishonest’ reports surrounding Ranveer Singh starrer 83- “Film cannot be stopped by a few trade analyses”

There have been a few reports stating that the film 83 was not relatable to the youth and hence it failed to match up with its reviews at the box office. Sharing his views on the same, Kabir said, "I think it's sometimes just overactive imagination. I think analysts are trying to imagine that they know what the youth like and what the youth doesn't like. Youth does not mean that they will only watch movies based on the youth. Films that do well today are the ones appreciated by the youth. Otherwise, it will not do well at all. You can see the list of films that have done well. They are not only about just contemporary characters or about the youth, it could be about anything. Dangal is not about the youth but has done well. Bajrangi Bhaijaan does not have a youthful character. That's done so well. So I don't believe in this kind of very simplistic analysis of films."

Kabir Khan said that he initially found the analyses "distasteful" but eventually found them amusing. "Some of the analysis is not even taking into account or they are pretending that the pandemic doesn't exist. You are not at all putting into context that the theatres are shut down or under restrictions; no reference to the pandemic. They are comparing it to the run of another film, which ran during normal times. They are comparing the run of 83 to that film without even as much as mentioning the pandemic or the restrictions that come with a pandemic, or the psyche of the audience that comes with a pandemic. For those who are indulging in this, all I can say is that they're not being true to their profession. Because it’s dishonest reporting. It's not ethical reporting. And that is how their credibility will be decided ultimately,” he added.

Kabir Khan finds it baffling that there is no mention of the impact of the pandemic on the film in reports by some analysts. "I don't know which youth these analysts talk about but it's very easy to sit and pontificate and give these things. Firstly, I'm sorry to say a lot of them are film illiterate. That for them to just give these kinds of analysis without the backing of any research and logic, I don't take these very seriously at all," he shared.

Further when asked, if his personal views on different social issues can have an impact on people’s views on his film, Kabir Khan said that in a democracy people have a right to express their opinion but a good film can never be stopped. "No matter what you do on social media, I don't think anything can stop a good film. Now, yes, of course, a good film can be stopped from getting numbers because there is no access to theatres, which is what has happened with 83, but word of mouth cannot be stopped. I don't think it is a film that can now be stopped just by a few trade analysts. It's a film that's captured the imagination of the country. And I'm really happy about that because I think it's an ode to the original 1983 team and I'm so happy that they are getting so much love," he added.