Why a film with elements like 'nationalism', 'patriotism', 'religion' failed to impress audience

Kangana Ranaut-starrer ‘Tejas’ tanks, earns ‘roughly Rs 3.85 crore’ in first three days at the box office, heads for the list of 2023’s major flops, according to trade reports

Kangana Ranaut in a poster of 'Tejas'. ANI

Tribune Web Desk

Vibha Sharma

Chandigarh, October 30

If the box office collections of the first three days are any indication, Kangana Ranaut-starrer ‘Tejas’ is headed for the list of 2023’s major Hindi flop films.

The film named after India’s pride—the fighter developed by HAL with the intention of attaining supersonic performance—earned “roughly Rs 3.85 crore” in the first three days of opening at the box office, according to trade tracker Sacnilk Entertainment.

‘Tejas’ thereby joins the list of Ranaut’s consecutive flops since ‘Tanu Weds Manu Returns’ in 2015, which earned a whooping Rs 255 crore, according to reports. Her subsequent films like ‘I Love NY’, ‘Katti Batti’, ‘Rangoon’, ‘Simran’, ‘Manikarnika: The Queen of Jhansi’, ‘Mental Hai Kiya’ ‘Panga’, ‘Thalaivii’ and ‘Dhaakad’ mostly tanked and so did her South film ‘Chandramukhi- 2’.

When elements like nationalism, religion fail

‘Tejas’ appeared to be an ideal mix of “nationalism, patriotism and religion”—elements that worked wonders for several low-budget films. Films with religious/‘Hindutva’ undertones like ‘The Kashmir Files’ and ‘The Kerala Story’ have done spectacularly well in India and abroad, earning their makers profits several times over their investments.

‘Tejas’ aimed at instilling deep sense of pride in Indians and films like that also generally do well at the box office, the most recent example being ‘Gadar 2’, say film critics.

But something went drastically wrong with the film with Ranaut in the lead as an Indian Air Force pilot. Even though the makers also interspersed the ‘2008 Mumbai terror attacks’ and 'suspicious terror activity at the newly constructed Ram temple at Ayodhya' in the storyline, the film failed to impress the audience.

The reasons

According to critics, the fictional “one-of-its-kind aerial-patriotic” drama laced with patriotic speeches and some Pakistan-bashing thrown in for good measure went “horribly wrong in execution, topped with bad editing and poor VFX”.

As the main protagonist, Ranaut’s character appeared one-dimensional—courageous, brave, patriotic but little more.

Though the four-time National Award winner blamed the audience response on Covid, critics point to the recent successes like ‘Gadar-2’, ‘Pathaan’, ‘Jawan’ and to an extent ‘Dream Girl 2’ to debunk her claims.

Hindi films that connected with the audience have been doing very well at the box office, they say.

Requesting people to watch films in theatres and “enjoy with family and friends or else they (theatres) won’t be able to survive”, Ranaut said, “Even before Covid, theatrical footfall was dipping drastically but post Covid it has become seriously rapid. Many theatres are shutting down and even after free tickets and many reasonable offers drastic footfall decline is continuing.”

The film was named after HAL’s Tejas—the smallest and lightest in its class of contemporary supersonic combat aircraft. Experts say naming the film after the pride of India gave the impression that the film was about its R&D, those involved in its making.

Ranaut—geopolitics, political leanings, controversies

Of late, Ranaut is known more for her political affiliations, her rebel attitude vis-a-vis her film industry colleagues, social media controversies, political statements and now geopolitics.

After ‘Tejas’ bombed, the actor who is said to be an aspiring politician, posted on the social media that those wishing her “ill” will have to lead “forever miserable” lives as she is unstoppable. The actor said she is “destined” to do “significant” things in life and mentioned how she aged 15 left home in Himachal Pradesh to follow her dreams.

“All those who are wishing me ill, their lives will be forever miserable because they will have to see my glory every day for the rest of their lives, since I left home at the age of 15 with nothing. I am consistently chiselling my fate and there has been enough evidence that I am destined to do significant things for the cause of woman empowerment and for my nation Bharat.

“For their own mental health, I request them to join my fan clubs. That way they will be aligned with the larger universal plan. I want my well-wishers to be kind to them and show them the way,” she wrote.

Ahead of the release of the film, her meeting with Israel’s ambassador to “extend support to the nation amid its ongoing war with Gaza” met scepticism and criticism.

Filmmaker Deepa Mehta’s comment over her views on the Israel-Gaza conflict saw an exchange between the two on the social media.

“As a Hindu nation, the Hindu genocides that have continued for centuries, we identify a lot with Jews and we strongly believe as we deserve a Bharat dedicated to Hindus, Jews also deserve one. So I think what you guys are fighting for is rightfully yours and we as a Hindu nation, we stand in Israel’s support,” Ranaut said to which Mehta responded, “OMG. Who let her loose?”

Ranaut hit back saying “who let her loose means? Tumko kya Aurangzeb ki aatma ne apne harem mein chained slave banake rakha hai?”

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