Anubhav Sinha on 'flop' Shah Rukh Khan starrer ‘Ra.One’s VFX being compared to modern blockbusters: 'It's awfully amusing'

To many, a film’s box-office numbers may seem like the ultimate yardstick of success. However, filmmaker Anubhav Sinha believes otherwise. Reflecting on his recent release ‘Assi’, which had a modest theatrical run, he notes that financial discussions tend to fade with time, while the essence of storytelling and impact endures far longer than opening weekend figures.

Anubhav Sinha’s career from ‘Lamhe’ To ‘Ra.One’

“Years later, it doesn’t matter how much money did ‘Satya’ (1998) or ‘Chandni’ (1989) or a ‘Lamhe’ (1991) make. ‘Lamhe’ was a flop back then. But today, it is a hit. ‘Ra.One’ was a flop in 2011,” he says.Over time, even films like ‘Ra.One’, led by Shah Rukh Khan, have found renewed appreciation. Anubhav shared in an interview with YouTube channel Ulta Chasma UC, “I meet a lot of people who now tell me they like Ra.One, but at that time, the film was declared a flop.

There was a lot of pain after it flopped. I made a film with Shah Rukh Khan and it was a flop and people didn’t like it at that time. That film broke me emotionally. It took time for me to recover from that.”

Anubhav Sinha’s praise for visual craft

Speaking about the ongoing comparisons between modern VFX-driven projects and his own work, Sinha shares, “It’s awfully amusing and pleasing. It’s a good feeling.” He adds that even the visual effects of ‘IC814: The Kandahar Hijack’ [2024] have been widely appreciated, especially by those who understand the craft, despite the understated nature of its execution.

Anubhav Sinha’s OTT debut

Anubhav Sinha’s OTT debut, the thriller series ‘IC814: The Kandahar Hijack’, inspired by the 1999 hijacking incident, received both acclaim and criticism over certain creative choices. Addressing whether the controversy made him more cautious, he says, “No. For some time, maybe, there was fear. But it wasn’t mind-altering. You have to be right and truthful.”Throughout his journey, Anubhav Sinha went on to carve a strong space for himself as a filmmaker with critically acclaimed projects like 'Mulk', 'Article 15', 'Thappad', and 'Bheed'.