Bollywood actor Emraan Hashmi has said that the filmmakers should let go of their obsession with box office numbers as having a theatrical release amid the coronavirus pandemic in itself is a step towards the revival of the industry.
Hashmi, whose latest film ‘Chehre’ is gearing for a theatrical release on Friday, said he is thrilled that the industry is finally gaining momentum. This is his second release in cinema halls after Mumbai Saga, which opened in March.
“I am happy that theatres are opening up after a long gap. I am the only actor who has had two releases in this pandemic. Some might see it as a bold move others might see it as a stupid move. But the obsession with the box office of our industry should not be the case anymore, at least not right now. The rules have changed, the game has changed,” the actor said.
Hashmi said, while makers were never in “control” of how their films would perform at the box office, the ongoing health crisis has only made it tougher.
The 42-year-old actor lauded superstar Akshay Kumar and the producers of BellBottom, for releasing their film theatrically — the biggest Hindi film release since the pandemic. The spy thriller opened in cinema halls on August 19.
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“With box office, you never felt in control even before the pandemic, but it has become a bigger question mark with the situation today. A film might look entertaining but when you weigh your and your family’s health, you might give it a pass because of the fear. So now no one really knows how it will pan out. Regulations are still there, Maharashtra has still not opened.
“We should stop worrying and sweating about opening numbers, box office collections. Someone has to make a start, it has to be done in that spirit. Kudos to Akshay, the producers of BellBottom, for taking that initiative. Same goes for films like Roohi, Mumbai Saga. It was very important for these films to do that.”
