90s icons better read writing on the wall

Khans or for that matter all 90s stars need to wake up and smell the coffee and see writing on the wall. 

For first time I saw such less crowd in theatre for an Aamir Khan film. It is abysmal. This is gonna tank worse than Thugs of Hindustan and will not even reach Mangal Pandey The Rising level, which atleast had record breaking  opening. 

For first time I saw NO reaction from anyone in audience when Aamir's name came onscreen or when he made entry and I saw no response from audience when Kareena  entered and no excitement or any surprised or happy reaction when SRK cameo came onscreen. 

Otherwise I remember hysteria and whistles, hooting, cheers among audience when Aamir's name came onscreen during Ghajini, 3 Idiots, Dangal or surprise and awe in audience if they saw other superstars in cameos. Or cheers at entry of heroine. None of it here in LSC.

Ek toh so less people in audience and even they hardly responded much except for few emotional scenes. 

It was amusing to see how arch rivals like AK and SRK united or seeing AK speak about SRK as a popular actor or recollect his hits. I cannot believe same guys who used to fight in public and mocked each other in films, talk shows and interviews alike have united for this film and Red chillies did VFX  and color work for an Aamir Khan Productions film! I mean they came together for first time since Pehla Nasha in 1995 where they appeared together in film. And it generated NO excitement AT ALL. 

They can no longer take their stardom, fame, appeal in hearts and minds of audience for granted. They no longer generate same craze as they did till mid 2010s. That phase when audience was ready to do anything for them, lap up ANY content they created or even bunk school, college, office to see their films is OVER.

I must admit LSC has its flaws, it is sad, slow, boring, choppy, has unrealistic scenes and situations. And I do think it would not do that well even if there was no boycott call against it. It is quite a sad film to watch in post pandemic times despite its good message against communal hate or expecting too much from life. It had too many loose ends and was poorly edited IMO. Its only saving grace is good acting performances and good music and super adorable child artistes and towering performance by Mona Singh. 

I also saw Zero last night on TV and it did not enthuse me. Day before I tried watching Tubelight and Antim but changed channel soon. I mean it is same with all Khans. These guys really need to pick better scripts and focus more on story telling, narrative and engaging content. I do not think there are many people who will keep  watching 90s stars for just nostalgia and goodwill of last 34 years. 

Why'd anyone pay a bomb for tickets of films like LSC, Zero or Tubelight? I had skipped Thugs of Hindustan altogether as I found its poster itself so ridiculous. I decided to give a chance to LSC and I find it to be the most shockingly weak, poorly edited film from AKP. I cannot believe it is same AKP that made Lagaan, TZP, Dangal, Jaane tu, Peepli Live. I had trust in AKP as a quality banner. I wonder if AKP deleted scenes in pressure from censor board which is why narrative was kind of choppy and film had loose ends? 

Whatever. But Khans can NO longer inspire craze like they had until mid 2010s. They must buck up. Work on stories, content and image makeover in public as well. Last minute PR or marketing before release cannot help them. And no, it is not just boycott calls harming their films. 

I think that’s just the life of an actor tbh. Rishi Kapoor in a Kapoor & Sons didn’t have the audience cheering loud at his entry scene. Neither did Jaya Bachchan in K3G. But they probably did in their prime. It’s just time to accept that their core audience has grown up.

Come on! Khans are NOT of Rishi age in Kapoor and Sons. 

They are still under 60.

This is easily their downfall phase like AB had when films like Agneepath, Ganga Jumna Saraswati, Akayla etc began tanking. And he was in early 50s. 

I felt sad seeing total lack of excitement for an Aamir film or for an SRK cameo in an Aamir film. A decade ago if it happened it would have caused fire at BO or trended online. Nobody gives a damn now...

I mean even Govinda's sudden brief appearance for a while in Wanted title song had better response from audience than this lack of excitement for SRK cameo in LSC.

Amitabh at their age was playing father to Aishwarya , Hrithik and SRK . Aamir was on the right path with Dangal but then did Thugs and LSC. SRK has a chance next year but let’s see. Salman like Akshay will try to earn as much money as he can before full time retirement. 

Aamir has himself raised the bar so high that he couldn't match it with this film. I believe we should cut some slack to him. Sometimes in order to create something new or different, we end up making a mess.

My 90s icons, Salman, Ajay, Srk, Akki, & Aamir, I still have faith in them. If anyone can create a hysteria among the classes and masses, it is them. I totally agree with TM that the margin of error from these stars has been reduced to such thin lines that 1 film & we start writing them off.

Abhi I don't feel that the time has come when the audience has completely lost their interest in their films. Their recent films, which have come, were not made as people expected from them, but they knew their pulse. The craze that was generated in theatres, they still have that impact within them.

I will sum up with a line from an RNBDJ song, "Hum Hai Raahi Pyaar Ke, Phir Milenge, Chalte Chalte". 

Salman & Aamir have given 300+ Cr films at lesser age than Amitabh was in 90s. Hindi films Top 4 grossers are with Aamir & Salman only, yet to cross by any other star. This Amitabh wasn't holding. Salman & Srk broke all grossing records with HAHK & DDLJ. Situations tab bhi alag thi, aaj bhi alag hai.

Salman in 2019 & Aamir in 2018 has given 41 Cr & 48 Cr opening, 40+ Cr opening which only Hrithik & Tiger's WAR crossed, which later on couldn't reach 300. 

Khans just need that 1 film & they will be back.

I do agree, they need to choose better scripts or roles like dad, professor, principal or social worker or boss or senior DGP etc.

These roles of young college kid or unmarried man or newly married man or new father do not suit them. 

And they are no Rajinikanth to play hero even at 60 using special effects and wigs.

I agree Aamir was on right track with Dangal. He lost it with TOH and LSC.

BTW I read he spent 14 years on LSC. 14 years to make this? I hope he never makes his so called dream project Mahabharat because I do not think he can handle it. He and other Khans, Devgan and Kumar need to really change tracks now. 

I agree about bar set so high especially by Aamir and his banner AKP. This is AKP's first choppy product. It hurt to criticise an AKP film. 

Mostly his bad films have been produced by others. It is shocking to see he had full control as producer but still LSC somehow fell short and failed to draw me in its world like usual AKP films. Aamir did act well especially in grieving scenes and suppressing sadness. He can make anyone cry. But narrative and screenplay fell short.

It hurt to see mostly empty theatre in first weekend of an AK film. His flops like Mela and The rising also had better openings than this. 

It hurt more to see total lack of excitement for SRK cameo in an AKP film. 

I would not have expected it some years ago...

I hope they recover and recoup. Khans, Ajay, Akki, Hrithik and co represent my growing years. I cannot see them at such a low...