Akshay Kumar has opened up on his recent films not performing at the box office. Akshay's last three films, Bachchhan Akshay's last three films, Bachchhan Paandey, Samrat Prithviraj and Raksha Bandhan, all released
Paandey, Samrat Prithviraj and Raksha Bandhan, all released theatrically, but could not recover their respective budgets and were deemed failures. While Raksha Bandhan was enmeshed in an online boycott campaign, along with Aamir Khan-starrer Laal Singh Chaddha, Hindi films in general have been struggling to work in the post-pandemic world.
Speaking at the trailer launch of his next, Cuttputlli, which is releasing digitally, Akshay said, "If my films are not working, it is our fault. It is my fault. I have to make the changes, I have to understand what the audience wants. I want to dismantle the way I think and what kind of films I should do. Nobody else is to be blamed but me.”
The actor denied that releasing films on OTT is a safer option compared to theatres.
"It is not safe. (OTT) also requires people to say if they like the film or not. It is not a safety net. Here also the media, the critics and the audiences are watching it. They give their opinion whether they like it or not. So, there’s nothing called safe. You have to work hard and that's it," Akshay said.
Directed by Ranjit M Tiwari, Cuttputlli is the Hindi remake of Ratsasan (2018). The film stars Akshay as a cop on the hunt for a serial killer. It will release on Disney+ Hotstar on September 2.
(This story originally appeared on cinemaexpress.com)