"We lost screens to the Saiyaara wave”: Kussh Sinha on 'Nikita Roy' & 'Tanvi The Great's box office struggles

In the ever-volatile world of Bollywood box office clashes, Kussh Sinha has finally opened up about his directorial debut Nikita Roy and its underwhelming performance. The film, starring his sister Sonakshi Sinha and veteran actor Paresh Rawal, was released alongside two other titles, Mohit Suri’s Saiyaara and Anupam Kher’s Tanvi the Great. Unfortunately, while Saiyaara soared, the other two films barely made a dent.

Speaking to Dainik Bhaskar, Kussh Sinha candidly admitted that Nikita Roy struggled to find its footing amid the Saiyaara frenzy. 'We tried hard to get more screens,' he said, 'but sometimes, some films get swept along by a wave. Saiyaara was that wave.'

Saiyaara, led by newcomers Ahaan Panday and Aneet Padda, took the box office by storm, raking in a staggering Rs 21 crore on opening day and crossing Rs 250 crore domestically within just 11 days. In contrast, Nikita Roy earned Rs 22 lakh on day one and has only touched Rs 1.24 crore so far. Meanwhile, Tanvi the Great struggled even more, with collections of just Rs 4 lakh.

Kussh pointed out how theatre chains acknowledged the merit in his film and retained it even after a rough start. 'Our screens increased by 40%–50% after the initial weekend,' he added optimistically. However, he accepted that the timing and competition made it nearly impossible for the smaller films to thrive.

Amidst the success of Saiyaara, the film also faced allegations of being inspired by the Korean classic A Moment to Remember. While Kussh refrained from passing judgment, he made his own stance clear: 'I’ve always believed in telling original stories. If I ever do a remake, it will be an official one. Others might not think the same, and that’s their call.'

Despite the setback, Kussh extended his congratulations to YRF and the team of Saiyaara, appreciating the success of a romantic film fronted by debutants. As for Nikita Roy, he remains hopeful about the audience finding it over time, just at a quieter pace than the thunderous Saiyaara.