Shoojit Sircar Breaks Silence On I Want To Talk’s Box Office Failure

Last Updated:January 30, 2025, 13:39 IST

Shoojit Sircar said that while he wants to make films on his terms and vision, the film’s reception has left him perplexed.

Shoojit Sircar’s I Want To Talk, starring Abhishek Bachchan, opened to a positive response from critics and the audience upon its release in November 2024. However, despite the critical reception, the film struggled to make an impact at the box office. Recently, in an interview, the filmmaker shared that he was disturbed by its failure.

In a conversation with NDTV, Shoojit Sircar said that while he wants to make films on his terms and vision, the film’s reception has left him perplexed, as he is not sure what worked and what didn’t in attracting audiences to theatres. He said, “I was completely disoriented because I did not know what exactly did or did not work in terms of audiences going to the theatre. But now, the film is also on OTT, and I see a lot of people reacting to it. It is very difficult for me to explain. But yes, box office collection disturbs you.” I Want To Talk did a total business of Rs 2.3 crore gross in India, as per Sacnilk.

Shoojit also noted that he did not believe his film was in the niche category. “This film is based in the US, so there are a lot of languages spoken. The title of the film is in English. A lot of film lovers are exposed to international content. What do you call the subjects that they watch? So, if you look at it from that perspective, I never thought my film was in that niche category,” explained the filmmaker.

In the same interview, the director praised Abhishek Bachchan for the “warmth and gentleness” he offers, naturally. He also noted that Amitabh Bachchan appreciated the film and was very happy with how it turned out.

Based on a true story, I Want To Talk follows the story of an ailing father who wants to reconnect with his daughter. The film recounts the life of Arjun Sen (played by Abhishek), a marketing expert based in the United States who is afflicted with cancer. The film was released on November 22, 2024. Besides Abhishek Bachchan, the film also starred Banita Sandhu and Johny Lever. Post its theatrical run, I Want To Talk is currently streaming on Prime Video.