Dr Chandraprakash Dwivedi opens up on Akshay Kumar's emotional reaction to Samrat Prithviraj's failure

The historical epic "Samrat Prithviraj," featuring Akshay Kumar as the legendary Rajput king Prithviraj Chauhan, faced a substantial setback when it hit theatres in June 2022, emerging as a significant disappointment at the box office. The film drew criticism for its casting choices and alleged distortion of historical facts.

Director Dr. Chandraprakash Dwivedi recently shared insights into the film's box office failure during a conversation with Mukesh Khanna on his YouTube channel. Dwivedi disclosed that even before the film's release, the audience had raised objections, particularly regarding Akshay Kumar's appearance and the age gap between him and co-star Manushi Chillar.

Akshay, aged 55 at the time, portrayed the role of a 26-year-old king. Additionally, questions were raised about the authenticity of Akshay's portrayal, from his moustache to his physique not aligning with the historical figure of Prithviraj.

Dwivedi admitted that many of these objections were valid and acknowledged the team's failure to fulfill their responsibilities toward the audience. He stated, "In this film, different people had different roles and responsibilities. I was the weakest of the lot. Had people fulfilled their duties, then this question would not have come up."

Reflecting on the aftermath of "Samrat Prithviraj," Dwivedi emphasized the lesson learned about not tampering with history. He recounted sharing the criticism with Akshay Kumar and revealed that the actor had tears in his eyes. Despite the film's failure, Dwivedi praised Akshay as a successful actor and acknowledged their professional relationship continuing smoothly.