New entrants in Bollywood tend to raise eyebrows, particularly when they hail from a film industry background. Shanaya Kapoor, whose actor father Sanjay Kapoor and socialite mother Maheep Kapoor are married, recently made her highly anticipated debut with Aankhon Ki Gustaakhiyan. The movie also features the talented Vikrant Massey as part of the lead cast. With so much media hype and industry backing, hopes were high. As a star kid launching into the spotlight, Shanaya’s debut was one of the most discussed subjects among Bollywood circles.
Box Office Failure
In spite of the buzz, the movie has sadly underperformed at the box office. Released to much expectation, Aankhon Ki Gustakahiyan had a slow first day. The movie raked in just Rs 30 lakh on opening day a figure far lower than industry expectations. Though Saturday showed a slight improvement, taking the collection to Rs 49 lakh, Sunday again failed to save the movie’s fate. After three days, the movie could merely cross Rs 1.15 crore.
Weak Audience Reaction
Trade experts have attributed the weak reaction to a mix of reasons poor word of mouth, a pre-predictable plot, and tight competition from other films. Critics said that though Shanaya had promise, the movie was short on emotional depth and narrative. Even Vikrant Massey’s act, which is otherwise a crowd-puller, could not save the movie.
Additionally, even with a robust promotion campaign and celebrity endorsements, the movie failed to resonate with its target market. Cinema theatres, particularly in metropolitan areas, were low on patronage over the weekend.
What Lies Ahead
Although the performance of the film is poor, it is only the start of Shanaya Kapoor’s career. Several star kids have also had poor beginnings and gone on to succeed with the proper scripts and opportunities. For Aankhon Ki Gustaakhiyan, it’s a reminder that just titles and publicity cannot make a movie a hit at the box office.
The movie world will be keeping a close eye on what Shanaya does next. With a better project and more robust storytelling, she could yet find herself a niche within the constantly changing world of Bollywood.
