Anand L Rai Reflects on Lessons from ‘Zero’ Box Office Failure

Filmmaker Anand L Rai has candidly addressed the reasons behind the disappointing performance of the 2018 film Zero, starring Shah Rukh Khan. In a recent interview with Galatta Plus, Rai acknowledged that he failed to incorporate Khan’s superstar persona into the character, which contributed to the film’s status as one of Khan’s biggest box office setbacks. The film, which also featured Katrina Kaif and Anushka Sharma, struggled to connect with audiences and led to Khan taking a four-year hiatus from the film industry.

Rai reflected on his initial approach to the project, describing it as a straightforward “actor-director” collaboration. He remarked, “The problem with Zero was that the superstar came to me with so much love, but I never understood that his image had to be part of the film.” This oversight highlighted a critical aspect of working with a major star: the need to harmonize their larger-than-life image with the character they portray.

The filmmaker confessed that he realized too late the expectations audiences have when it comes to a star’s involvement in a movie. “Maybe I am unable to incorporate that stardom into my characters. I was floating; my bearings were not there,” he admitted. This lack of alignment between character and celebrity contributed to the film’s commercial failure.

Despite the challenges faced during production, Rai expressed fond memories of the collaboration with Khan. He stated, “I was enjoying the journey, and more than me, Shah Rukh was. That became scary later because one of us should have stopped and said, ‘There is a star.’ He never brought it up, and I never understood it. Maybe things would have been different.”

“I never understood that his image had to be part of the film,”

Rai reiterated, underscoring the significance of star power in the film industry.

The film, which had a production budget of approximately Rs 200 crore, managed to earn only around Rs 180–190 crore worldwide, marking it as one of Khan’s rare commercial failures. Zero was written by Himanshu Sharma and produced by Colour Yellow Productions and Red Chillies Entertainment, and also included performances from Abhay Deol, R Madhavan, and Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub.

As the film industry continues to evolve, Rai’s reflections serve as a reminder of the delicate balance between character development and the expectations that come with celebrity status. The lessons learned from Zero may influence Rai’s future projects, as he aims to better integrate star power with compelling storytelling.