In the world of cinema, success is often measured by the box office numbers, and for Kangana Ranaut, the journey has not been smooth lately. Her latest movie, “Tejas,” hit the theatres with high expectations, but unfortunately, failed to fly up on its opening day. The film, directed by Sarvesh Mewara, casts Kangana as a courageous Air Force Pilot, undertaking on a mission to rescue an Indian spy trapped in Pakistan while facing off against terrorists in a remote Pakistani region.
On the first day of its release, Tejas struggled to draw audiences, raking in a mere Rs 1 crore, according to industry tracker Sacnilk. The dull performance continued throughout the day, with an occupancy rate of only 5.57% in the Hindi-speaking market. Despite a promising trailer that generated some rumor, the film found it challenging to sell tickets, managing to fill just 3,000 seats across major cinema chains like PVR, INOX, and Cinepolis.
Critics, too, were unimpressed. Shubhra Gupta of The Indian Express, in her harsh review, gave Tejas a paltry 1.5-star rating. She pointed out, “The film is so intention upon keeping Kangana Ranaut centre-stage that everyone else ends up as satellites.” This review underlines a common sentiment among reviewers that Kangana’s overpowering presence spoiled other aspects of the film, contributing to its unimaginative reception.
What’s more concerning for Kangana is that Tejas marks her 11th consecutive flop in a row. Her previous theatrical releases, including “Dhaakad” (2022) and “Thalaivii” (2021), failed to make a significant impact at the box office, earning an inadequate Rs 2.58 crore and Rs 1.46 crore respectively. This disappointing streak also includes films like “Panga” (2020) and “Judgementall Hai Kya” (2019), which faced rejection from the audience. The exception to this trend was her historical drama “Manikarnika” (2019), which managed to draw audiences to the theatres.
The challenges faced by Tejas underscore the unstable nature of the film industry, where even established actors like Kangana Ranaut can struggle to find success consistently. Despite her certain talent and previous successes, the recent string of failures has undoubtedly raised questions about her choice of roles and film projects.
In an industry driven by audience preferences, Tejas serves as a reminder that even a leading cast and an interesting plot may not guarantee success. As the weekend approaches, the fate of Tejas hangs in the balance, leaving Kangana and her fans anxiously awaiting a potential turnaround that could save the film’s box office performance. Whether Kangana can bounce back from this setback remains to be seen, but one thing is certain, the challenges faced by Tejas highlights the unpredictable nature of showbusiness.
