Amar Kaushik on Ajay Devgn's Drishyam 2 impacting Varun Dhawan-Kriti Sanon's Bhediya: 'Sab wahi dekhne ja rahe the'

The 2022 horror-comedy Bhediya, starring Varun Dhawan and Kriti Sanon, didn't exactly bust out at the box office when it came out, but it did manage to find its audience following its OTT premiere now on JioHotstar. Director Amar Kaushik recently discussed the film's lacklustre box office performance and the lessons he had acquired from the experience in an interview.

Amar Kaushik reflects on Bhediya's box office performance

Kaushik discussed the noticeable disparity in audience reaction between the film's theatrical and streaming runs in an open discussion on Komal Nahta's Game Changers podcast on YouTube. He said that there were two things he understood later, though one of them he had already realised at the time. Bhediya had a clash with Drishyam 2 and was also a good film, similar to how Stree 2 was launched with two other films. It generated buzz upon its debut, which was one week prior to their film. Everyone was going to watch that.

ALSO READ: Bhediya review: Varun Dhawan's clamouring werewolf act stands out in the film with top-notch VFX 

Additionally, he noted that the timing of Bhediya's release was not optimal for its intended audience. And there were examinations going on when he made the video, so he was aiming for a younger audience. The whole group were completely unaware. After the OTT release, they learnt about it and were really pleased.

Amar Kaushik rethinks the film's climax

Stree co-director Kaushik went even farther, saying that, looking back, he would have changed the film's ending. They are not a hero-heroine pair but rather two animals, which is why he made the climax a little niche. The filmmaker could have changed it so he battles as Varun, but then everyone would have known he's really a shapeshifting Bhediya. Having everyone guess he's a man would have made it harder for him to write the sequel. This is something one comes to understand later on; it was a lesson.

Kaushik confessed candidly during the rapid-fire part of the conversation that Bhediya performed less well at the box office than he expected and he wishes he would have made it differently.

Bhediya validated its original premise and world-building while generating a meagre Rs 66.65 crore in India. The film found great interest on OTT, adding to its low earnings. Add Bhediya 2 and Stree 3 to the eight previously announced horror-comedy features from Maddock Films, and the film becomes an integral part of their growing canon.

ALSO READ: Kriti Sanon reveals she broke down during Varun Dhawan starrer Bhediya promotions; here's why