PremiumThe Buckingham Murders: Hansal Mehta 'pleased' with the way Kareena Kapoor's film has been received
Amid the release of The Buckingham Murders, filmmaker Hansal Mehta said that he does not prefer to discuss his film's BO numbers as he finds it reductive.
Last Updated: 04.42 PM, Sep 18, 2024
Kareena Kapoor Khan's The Buckingham Murders started slow at the box office. However, responses from the audiences are positive. The story revolves around the death of a son and how a mother grapples with it. In a new interview, Hansal Mehta opened up about the film's reception and added that he prefers not to get involved in discussions about his film’s box office numbers.
Hansal Mehta on The Buckingham Murders box office performance
Speaking to DNA, Hansal Mehta said that he finds it very reductive to discuss his film's box office numbers. "I cannot participate in that reductive conversation. It reduces it to the mediocrity of the mind that is equating a film to its number,” he said.
However, The Buckingham Murders has created conversations beyond the box office, from Kareena Kapoor's performance to the unique setting of the film.
"I am very pleased with the way the film has been received. People have opinions and I might disagree with them. I may even get angry at some but at least, you have watched the film and you are talking about it. The fact that this film has opened up conversations about so many things, including Kareena the actor, is wonderful." Mehta said.
Hansal Mehta on the two versions of The Buckingham Murders
The Buckingham Murders has been released in two versions, one the original English and a Hindi-dubbed. Notably, the English version accounted for about 40% of revenue in India, surprising many trade pundits.
The filmmaker added, “The way the audiences have received this film shows they have grown but we haven’t. It’s an eco-system, which includes filmmakers, producers, and the people who review films. They haven’t grown as much as the audience have. The audience is craving for."
But the director also agreed that commercial demands had to be met. That is why the Hindi-dubbed version was also released alongside. The filmmaker shared that Ekta Kapoor, who produced the film, spoke to him and said Kareena Kapoor is a big star. There is an audience that wants to see the actress even if it’s in this new avatar and that is why the Hindi version will allow them to reach that audience.
"That was the rationale behind this. But as the last few days have proved, people have embraced the English version. It has gone beyond the expectations," he said.
Meanwhile, The Buckingham Murders is being screened in a theater near you!