The much-hyped Deepika Padukone starrer Chhapaak, which arrived in theatres on January 10 has turned out to be an under-performer. The Meghna Gulzar-directed movie opened on a fair note but failed to show major growth after the first weekend and this sealed its fate. The flick's (theatrical) failure is a setback for all concerned and highlights some key industry trends. Here are the key takeaways from the Chhapaak's unsatisfactory run at the box office.
Chhapaak needed a solo release: Chhapaak hit screens alongside Ajay Devgn's magnum opus Tanhaji and proved to be a blunder. Deepika's film received a smaller release and ended up playing second fiddle to the Om Raut-directed biggie. To make matters worse, the period-drama clicked with the masses as well as the classes and this took a toll on Chhapaak's collections. Many feel it would have done better as a solo release.
Controversy does not create cash: Merely days before Chhapaak's release, Deepika visited the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) and reached out to students who had been attacked by masked men. Following this, trolls asked movie buffs to 'boycott' the film and hurled insults at the actress. While this helped Chhapaak gain visibility, it did not result in big numbers. In fact, Chhapaak was not even able to match the day one collection of Alia Bhatt's Raazi.
Good content does not ensure big money: Chhapaak highlighted the struggles of an acid attack victim and dealt with the sensitive issue rather well. Moreover, DP delivered what many called the finest performance of her career. This, however, did not have too much of an impact on its theatrical performance, proving that a healthy word of mouth does not necessary translate to big money.
Deepika's star power comes under a cloud: Chhapaak's weak performance suggests that Deepika might not be as bankable a star as many feel. While Bajirao Mastani and Padmaavat emerged as monster hits, they also featured Ranveer Singh in powerful roles and this helped their commercial prospects. The 2018 release also starred Shahid Kapoor and this further worked in its favour. Unlike the Sanjay Leela Bhansali-helmed biggies, Chhapaak was a DP show all the way. As such, its underwhelming numbers are a setback for the Aishwarya actress. However, the consensus is, if she continues choosing such meaningful roles, she will eventually strike gold.