Siddharth says his statement was taken out of context

After the global success of Shah Rukh Khan’s ‘

Pathaan

‘ in 2023, filmmaker Siddharth Anand faced a box office setback with his recent film ‘

Fighter

‘, starring Hrithik Roshan and Deepika Padukone in lead roles. His recent remarks about the film’s underwhelming performance sparked controversy, prompting the director to clarify his statement.
Anand initially suggested that ‘Fighter’ struggled because the audience was unfamiliar with the film’s plot and setting.

He noted that many Indians have never flown in an airplane, making it difficult for them to relate to the aerial action sequences.

In a recent interview with Bollywood Hungama, Siddharth explained that his comments were misunderstood. He clarified that he never intended to imply that viewers without

air travel

experience couldn’t understand the movie. “I didn’t mean that. But a lot of free minds had a lot of free time to make memes. It was taken completely out of context. What I actually meant was, when seeing a film like that (Fighter), I don’t know what the exhilaration is,” he elaborated. He meant that the thrill intended from fighter jet sequences might not resonate with audiences as strongly as more familiar action elements, like gunfights or car chases.
Siddharth acknowledged that the blend of action and drama in ‘Fighter’ may have confused viewers, leaving them unsure of how to engage with the film emotionally. He emphasized that the full exhilaration of the movie could only be experienced in theaters.

The filmmaker further described ‘Fighter’ as his most evolved and honest project, blending commercial elements with authenticity. He praised the film’s performances and visual effects, calling them his best work to date. However, he admitted that in the future, he might avoid including beach songs, as they don’t align with the tone of the genre. “I would try to stay honest and true to the genre,” he reassured viewers.
He defended the song ‘Sher Khul Gaye’, explaining that its placement within the Air Force academy was essential to the plot, celebrating a significant event in the lives of Air Force personnel.

Earlier this year, in a conversation with Galatta Plus, Siddharth reflected on the mixed reception of ‘Fighter’. He attributed the response to the film’s unfamiliar aerial action theme, noting that it explores uncharted territory in Indian cinema with no previous reference point for audiences. Anand suggested that many viewers, especially those unfamiliar with air travel, found the aerial sequences difficult to connect with, resulting in a disconnect from the intended excitement and thrill of the action scenes.