BREAKING: Sooraj Pancholi on box-office failures, silent struggles & more: "I was fighting.."

After a decade in the industry, Sooraj Pancholi is still waiting for his big theatrical moment. His latest release, Kesari Veer, failed to leave a mark at the box office, but Pancholi isn’t backing down. In a conversation that moves beyond surface-level chatter, the actor opens up about the real hurdles—releases, timing and the unseen battles.

Q. Whatever has happened in the past but you have completed a decade at the movies. The filmography is skim right now but there have been several factors contributing to that. What do you feel about the same?

Yeah, I mean it's not only about a film that you do. It’s the release that really defines everything. It depends on the producers, the right timing. There’s a lot that goes into it. Not just in filmmaking, but even more so in releasing a film. Making a film is tough, but the toughest part is releasing it right, which people don’t always understand. I’m going to keep working until I get my proper release. That’s what I’m waiting for. The right release is the name of the game.

Q. Do you feel that the films that you've done, be it Satellite Shankar or Time To Dance, are not failures in the box office sense but more affected by the release?

Yeah. I mean, it's all controlled by the bosses of the industry. Not really something you have a say in after a point. No actor does, until you're at that stage.

Q. But what I want to know is that when you’ve been giving your all to a film, and external factors derail it, and now you’ve completed a decade in the industry without that one breakout theatrical film—how do you emotionally navigate that?

Well, not every day is a good day. I take it like that. Not every birthday is special. So, I take it as part of the process. I’m going to keep doing my work, keep trying to do better for myself. It’s all about timing.

Q. But do you feel these films would’ve performed better if the timing was different?

I think so, yes. Especially Satellite Shankar. It wasn’t a glamorous film, but emotionally, it hit the right chords. I think that film deserved much more. But it released around the pandemic, and that’s when OTT platforms were booming. It went straight to digital. You never know—maybe it might get re-released in a few years, or even a few months. That depends on the makers. But I’m going to keep doing my work. It’s like hitting the gym every day. Not every breakfast is the yummiest.

I don't think so, not with films (on public perception). But with brands? Definitely.

- Sooraj Pancholi (as told to India Forums)

Q. You know, it’s interesting you mentioned Satellite Shankar, because I genuinely believe it's one of the better films I've seen in the last five years.

Exactly. When people watch it, they don’t see Sooraj, they see Shankar. Even I feel that when I watch it again. It’s a good film. Some films do really well on satellite TV. That one plays around six or seven times a year.

Q. As you mentioned, and because you denied it earlier, do you believe even today that public perception doesn’t affect your films?

I don't think so, not with films. But with brands? Definitely. Audiences go for the story, the entertainment, whatever draws them in. But when it comes to brand deals, that’s a whole different ball game.

Do you still fight that battle internally?

Not anymore. That was three years ago maybe. I was fighting back then. But no longer. I’m past that now.

As known, for Pancholi, the debacle of Kesari Veer hasn't shook him per se but he would definitely want to move on to more powerful roles now and future projects.