Bollywood is ready to hit back in 2023. But not in January. The scenario is bleak barring Pathaan which could take a beating at the box office because of the boycott call taken by certain sections. The boycott call is not negligible and it may hit the ticket sales harder than expected.
On the other hand, SRK’s diehard fans may ensure a safe passage for Pathaan, although Aamir Khan’s Laal Singh Chaddha sank without a trace after the boycott call and there was nothing his fans could do about it.
Deepika Padukone who has come under scrutiny for her sartorial choice may also end up under the wheels of the wrath yatra. She needs to consolidate her position after her underwhelming show as Romi Kapil Dev in ’83 and the shindigs of Gehraiyaan.
The only other notable release in January is debutant Aasmaan Bhardwaj’s Kuttey. The interesting cast (Naseeruddin Shah, Tabu, Konkona Sen Sharma and the bandh mutthi Shardul Bhardwaj) is the backbone of this dark noire-ish film which just may turn out to be the first hit of 2023 for Bollywood.
On the OTT platform Netflix has the taut and gripping espionage drama Mission Majnu featuring Sidharth Malhotra in his finest performance since Shershah, on release in January. Who knows, it may get a bigger audience eventually than Pathaan!
