Film actor Sanjay Dutt on Thursday took to social media and said that he stands by the film Shamshera and tweeted ‘#ShamsheraIsOurs’ claiming that those who have criticised the film over its Hinduphobic content are ‘spewing hatred’ on ‘one of the most hardworking and talented actors of our times’.
#ShamsheraIsOurs pic.twitter.com/dAs1X2BaR4
— Sanjay Dutt (@duttsanjay) July 28, 2022
Dutt claimed the film got a lot of hate, some of it by people who had not even seen it and claimed that he found it ‘horrible’ that people don’t ‘respect the hard work’ we all put in. Shamshera has been receiving a lot of criticism not only over its Hinduphobic content, but even mainstream ‘film critics’ have also trashed it over its content.
#OneWordReview…#Shamshera: UNBEARABLE.
— taran adarsh (@taran_adarsh) July 22, 2022
Rating: ⭐️½
Brings back memories of #ThugsOfHindostan… Even #RanbirKapoor’s star-power cannot save this ship from sinking… EPIC DISAPPOINTMENT. #ShamsheraReview pic.twitter.com/lWStFFzcSX
Dutt ended his rant with a couplet ‘kuch toh log kahenge’ (people will say things), thereby dismissing viewer feedback, people who actually pay money to watch their films and demonised them.
The emotional train wreck was triggered by a post by the film’s director, Karan Malhotra, who, took to Twitter on Wednesday to pen a note to the film to talk about the ‘hate’ and ‘humiliation’.
Shamshera is mine! #Shamshera #Shamsheraismine pic.twitter.com/MZyCfaeHFB
— Karan Malhotra (@karanmalhotra21) July 27, 2022
In a note he claimed that all the criticism that came his way for a seemingly badly made film made him ‘abandon’ it and he got ‘weak’. But now he was, claiming ownership of it and being proud of a film the audiences have rejected.
Usually when a film is a hit and successful, the filmmakers rush to take ownership and take credit, especially the director and actor. However, it seems, now when a film doesn’t do well, the audience is to be blamed for the same.
Shamshera and its Hinduphobic content
Shamshera has been on the receiving end of criticism not only from apolitical mainstream film critics who have giving it low rating and even called it unbearable, but even an average movie-going audience seem to be unhappy with the storyline. Shamshera portrays the villain, played by Sanjay Dutt (Shuddh Singh) as a devout Hindu and a ruthless barbarian. He is shown in the film as a devout Hindu with a Shikha and a Tripund Teeka. His character is named Shudh Singh, a brutal authoritarian general who has imprisoned and enslaved a warrior tribe.
With less than Rs 21 crore in two days’ worth of box office revenue, Shamshera, a movie with a huge budget of Rs 150 crore, has decisively been rejected by fans, putting YRF under a lot of strain. The film’s script has also been panned by reviewers for its weak content with many saying the storyline has no point. Audience feedback is that Ranbir Kapoor does not match the image of a dacoit, and neither does his voice. The screenplay was not well praised by critics too.
But ‘kuch toh log kahenge’…
