Maidaan director Amit Sharma says he ‘couldn’t find reason’ for box office failure of Ajay Devgn-starrer

Ajay Devgn’s sports drama Maidaan did not perform as per expectations at the box office.

The film, made on a budget of over ₹200 crore, did receive good reviews upon release but managed to collect only ₹60 crore at the Indian box office. Speaking to DNA, director Amit Sharma has finally opened up to the lukewarm box office reception of the film, saying that he was flooded with appreciation when the film released on OTT.

What Amit Sharma said
Speaking to DNA, Amit said, “When the film was released, a lot of people did not watch it. But whoever watched it only praised it. They all appreciated it. I was making rounds of the theatres, and I saw the reaction of the public watching it. It was amazing. After it released on OTT, I was flooded with messages and mails. Many said they should have watched it in theatres, but at the end of the day, you can’t force people to go to theatres.”

He went on to add, “Of course, it comes to your mind as to why numbers are not increasing when the public is appreciating it and the reaction is positive. But I couldn’t find the reason for why the big numbers did not happen.”

More details
Ajay Devgn’s Maidaan made its big screen debut on April 11. It is the biopic of Syed Abdul Rahim, who served as a coach and manager of the Indian football team from 1950 to 1963. In addition to Ajay, Priyamani and Nitanshi Goel also play pivotal roles in the film. Maidaan was jointly produced by Zee Studios, Bayview Projects, and Fresh Lime Films.

An excerpt from the Hindustan Times review of the film read, “Even while I kept drawing comparisons while watching the exhilarating football matches, training camps and green room scenes, there was very little to complain about. It was an experience that completely soaks you in its simplicity, earnest storytelling and performances that are impactful, but never overshadow the narrative.”