Shahid Kapoor’s Deva might have tanked at the box office, but it has a chance to redeem itself with its OTT release (Netflix) in India. This Rosshan Andrrews movie will be available to stream on Netflix from March 28, so mark your calendars!
Despite its promotional videos receiving a spectacular response from viewers, Deva shockingly emerged as a major box office bomb. This Shahid Kapoor starrer managed to earn only INR 51-59 crores in theatres, against its sizable budget of INR 80 crores. Based on Kapoor’s look and portrayal of the protagonist, many believed the movie could become another blockbuster like Kabir Singh. But that didn’t happen. Why?
Well, there are several reasons behind Deva’s failure. First and foremost, its altered climax, which clearly did not sit well with viewers—especially those who had already watched the original film, Mumbai Police (2013), starring Prithviraj Sukumaran. The resulting disinterest from fans of the original further proves that the market for South Indian remakes has reached its saturation point.
Another major factor in the film’s poor box office performance was the lack of promotion. Despite featuring a talented cast—including Pooja Hegde, Pavail Gulati, Pravesh Rana, Kubbra Sait, Upendra Limaye, and more—the makers failed to market the film extensively in India.
Surprisingly, Deva, being a mass entertainer, received minimal promotional attention, with no television appearances from its lead duo (Kapoor and Hegde). This oversight significantly hurt its theatrical performance, as TV promotions would have helped reach audiences in smaller cities.
Additionally, Deva faced unexpected competition from unlikely rivals, including Badass Ravi Kumar and the re-releases of Christopher Nolan’s Interstellar and Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Padmaavat.
Now, Deva has the perfect opportunity to redeem itself, as OTT releases often provide a second chance for films that underperform in theatres. Given that the movie hit cinemas just over a month ago, it can still generate buzz in the Indian OTT space and attract viewers who missed or skipped it in theatres.
Yes, the film’s controversial ending may still be a point of contention for many viewers. However, big films with star power—regardless of their box office fate—often perform well on streaming platforms. The same can be expected from Shahid Kapoor’s Deva. Stay tuned for more updates.
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