Not every film opens to packed theatres, but some find their audience over time. Main Vaapas Aaunga is one such film. After a modest start at the box office, the romantic drama has completed 50 days in cinemas, with filmmaker Imtiaz Ali thanking audiences for turning it into one of the biggest word-of-mouth successes.
The film, starring Diljit Dosanjh, Naseeruddin Shah, Vedang Raina and Sharvari, is currently in its eighth week in theatres. Set against the backdrop of Partition and spanning two timelines and generations, Main Vaapas Aaunga gradually gained momentum through positive reviews and audience recommendations.
Sharing a poster celebrating the milestone on Instagram, Imtiaz Ali described Main Vaapas Aaunga's 50-day theatrical run as a "rare feat". He thanked moviegoers for connecting emotionally with the story and recommending it to others.
“My first thought is of gratitude towards the audience - the good people that watch cinema, who invested emotionally in the film and convinced others to watch it, who created the extraordinary word of mouth - for no reason except that they liked the film. May the tribe increase!” he wrote.
Imtiaz said the audience's response gives hope to contemporary filmmakers and motivates him to continue making meaningful and entertaining cinema. He also expressed gratitude to the cast, crew, exhibitors, distributors, producers, and music partners for standing by the film.
“Finally, congratulations to the entire Hindi film industry for the footfalls we are receiving this year at the theatres. Now the impetus is on us filmmakers to make wonderful films for the audience that seems keen to visit theatres for it,” Imtiaz added.
Produced by Birla Studios, Applause Entertainment, and Window Seat Films, Main Vaapas Aaunga will premiere on August 7 on Netflix.
Released in theatres on June 12, Main Vaapas Aaunga had a slow start at the box office. However, positive reviews and strong word of mouth helped the romantic drama steadily gain momentum. According to Sacnilk, the film has grossed Rs 99.21 crore at the worldwide box office, including Rs 77.23 crore in India and Rs 21.98 crore overseas.
Imtiaz Ali is set to reunite Main Vaapas Aaunga co-stars Sharvari and Vedang Raina for another romantic drama. According to Pinkvilla, the untitled film is in the final stages of pre-production, with filming expected to begin in November.