Despite starring newcomers from prominent film families, ‘Azaad’ has failed to garner even a modest opening at the box office. The film stars Rasha Thadani, daughter of Bollywood icon Raveena Tandon, and Arman Devgn, nephew of superstar Ajay Devgn. With such a high-profile relationship, the film was expected to generate quite a bit of buzz. However, the box office slump reflects the serious challenges facing the industry today. The movie cost around Rs. 4.05 crore over the weekend, plummeting to $6 million on the first Monday.
Azad’s failure highlights a new reality in Bollywood. Star kids can no longer rely solely on pedigree. The content must be over the connection
The era of content-driven cinema has destroyed Bollywood’s traditional dependence on star power and family connections. While pedigree once guaranteed curiosity and footfall, today’s discerning audiences prioritize compelling narratives and innovative storytelling. The lack of these important elements seems to have been a fatal flaw for ‘Azaad’, a film whose main purpose was to introduce star kids. Even projects with big stars sometimes struggle to find an audience, but for debut artists the challenges are even more pronounced. Today’s audiences are looking for more than pedigree. In the content-driven era of Bollywood, the focus has shifted from star power to storytelling and innovation.
Another factor to consider is your marketing strategy. Did Azaad create enough intrigue before its release? For a newcomer, it needs more promotional efforts than ever to catch the public’s attention. Rasha Thadani and Arman Devgn may have received a fair amount of media coverage, but it probably wasn’t enough to convince audiences to buy tickets. When launching a new entrant, the importance of leveraging digital platforms, engaging content campaigns, and relatable stories cannot be underestimated.
Veteran trade analyst Taran Adarsh, in an exclusive chat with Bollywood Hungama, agreed that content plays a key role and simply launching two new entrants is not enough. “The writing was the weakest part of Azad,” he says. “It was lackluster. There has to be some kind of drama or ups and downs to keep you hooked. But there was none of that in this movie. The first half was completely lifeless. From the middle of the second half onwards, the drama started to fade. The climax really started to show itself. The last 20-25 minutes are great because of the race. But by the time you get to the climax, you get very tired and bored. I also told the producer that it wouldn’t work because the script was the main reason.
Adarsh also believes that when a man and woman come face to face as lovers, their romance needs to be felt on screen. “Even if you felt there was romance between the hero and heroine, it was completely muted. And the track between Ajay Devgn and Diana Penty needed to be fleshed out further. Mohit Even the track about Malik is half-baked. He just goes back and forth,” he said.
The industry needs to rethink its approach to launching new entrants. Banking based solely on family connections is no longer a guarantee of success. Instead, your debut film should focus on creating a strong story, relatable characters, and an innovative marketing campaign. Additionally, introducing newcomers to an ensemble cast alongside veteran actors can provide balance and engage audiences. However, using a senior actor just to compliment a new actor is counterproductive unless that character is essential to the story.
Commenting on the casting of a senior actor like Ajay Devgn in ‘Azaad’, Adarsh said: I’m not denying that. For me, the main character of this movie is the horse, and it’s very well done. The emotions between the horses of Ajay Devgn and Arman Devgn come out very well. However, this type of film requires the support of many bulk ingredients. The debutants achieved decent results. Arman Devgan is very sincere and Rasha is very confident. But in terms of writing, I feel they deserve better recognition. ”
Azad’s overwhelming box office performance is a reminder of the dynamic changes in Bollywood. Today’s audiences demand reliability, innovation and value for money. As the industry evolves, successful onboarding of the next generation of talent requires adapting to these changes. Rasha Thadani and Arman Devgn may have missed the mark in Azad, but with the right project and strategy, they still have the potential to carve a niche for themselves in Bollywood.
Also read: Azad: Abhishek Kapoor drops unseen BTS photo from film, writes emotional note: ‘Sapne hit ya flop nahi hote’
Other pages: Azaad box office collection, Azaad movie review
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