15 Movies That Became Cult Classics After Underperforming In Theatres
Posted On: 12 Jun 2023 | Last Updated : 12 Jun 2023 | Views : 952
Hits and flops are part and parcel of the Bollywood film business. With a mere 20 percent of films succeeding at the box office year after year it doesn’t diminish the spirits of filmmakers to make more films. A film's success or failure is based on its earnings which is often not a reflection of how people eventually felt about it. Some movies flop or underperform despite having a good script, music, and brilliant performances by the star cast while the formula for a hit film remains an oasis for many of our filmmakers. There could be many reasons for a film flopping at the box office but over a period of time when we watch them again on TV or any movie streaming sites, we realize the brilliance and true value of it and try to analyze why didn’t it worked at the time of its release. Today we look at some Bollywood movies from the past that were not flops or disasters but underperformed and didn’t do great business while in theatres, but eventually won the hearts of audiences years later to become cult classics.
1. Kaagaz Ke Phool (1959)
One of the first Bollywood movies which underperformed in theatres but became cult favourites later for many was Guru Dutt’s Kaagaz Ke Phool released in 1959. The movie shot in black and white, cinemascope starring Guru Dutt and Waheeda Rehman in the lead told the story of the rise and fall of a film director and his heroine. The film was a box office disaster that devastated Guru Dutt who vowed never to wield the megaphone again. He didn’t survive to see his biggest disappointment eventually become his most precious gem.
2. Mera Naam Joker (1970)
Raj Kapoor’s dream project and semi-autobiographic film Mera Naam Joker figures among the top Bollywood flop movies that became cult classics. Made over a period of 6 long years with every penny invested in it, Raj Kapoor left no stone unturned to release it as his biggest cinematographic monument that unfortunately was rejected by the audiences. With a runtime of 4 hours 15 mins, it was one of the longest Indian films ever made having two intermissions that went against the audiences’ sensibilities. Despite having an ensemble star cast and memorable music the film turned out to be a catastrophic disaster pushing the great showman into debt. But over a period of time, the film gained cult status and remains the most beautiful film ever made by him.
3. Pakeezah (1972)
Director Kamal Amrohi’s Pakeezah too features among Bollywood flop movies that became cult classics. Promoted as Meena Kumari’s swansong movie Pakeezah saw a hoard of people flocking to the theatres hoping to get a last glimpse of the tragedy queen. Despite having brilliant music by Ghulam Mohammad and Meena Kumari in a double role, the film was rejected after the second week of release. One of the reasons for it getting a thumbs down was for it being 14 years in the making. The film gained popularity because of her death and went on to become one of Bollywood’s unforgettable cult classics.
4. Karz (1980)
Believe it or not, Subhash Ghai’s reincarnation love saga Karz failed to rake in the expected moolah at the box office. Inspired by the Hollywood classic, The Reincarnation of Peter Proud, Karz took off to a flying start when released in June 1980 but the returns started to dip slowly and steadily leaving the makers and Rishi Kapoor in utter disbelief. Though Karz had one of Laxmikant-Pyarelal’s best musical scores it failed to sustain its run making it one of Bollywood’s revenge dramas that was ahead of its times. The film later became a favourite with many movie buffs quizzing themselves as to why the film did not work.
5. Shaan (1980)
Another Bollywood cult classic that flopped at the box office was Ramesh Sippy’s magnum opus Shaan. Shaan came exactly five years after the release of his blockbuster Sholay (1975). Shaan was shot in a James Bond-ish styled manner equipped with one of the then biggest ever star casts including Amitabh Bachchan, Sunil Dutt, Shashi Kapoor, Parveen Babi, Rakhee Gulzar, Bindiya Goswami, Mazhar Khan, Johny Walker, and Kulbhushan Kharbanda featuring an evergreen soundtrack from R.D. Burman. And yet it bombed at the box office because it failed match to the expectation of the director’s earlier film, Sholay. But all said and done, Shaan as expected gained cult status for its own merit making it a gem.
6. Silsila (1981)
Yash Chopra’s Silsila which reportedly was based on the real-life love triangle between the three lead characters, Amitabh Bachchan, Jaya Bhaduri, and Rekha, failed to get the cash registers ringing at the box office. The film was released at a time when the Amitabh Bachchan - Rekha affair had become a hot topic among gossipmongers. The film was one of the most romantic films made under the Yash Raj banner that was outrightly rejected by the audiences for they couldn’t watch real-life affairs on-screen. It was the last time that Amitabh and Rekha shared screen space together. After a few years, Silsila found a way into people’s hearts earning the status of a cult film, especially the memorable songs by Shiv - Hari.
7. Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro (1983)
Kundan Shah’s Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro was a satire on Mumbai’s construction nexus and a break from the usual masala action movies which were churned out those days. Starring Naseeruddin Shah, Ravi Baswani, Pankaj Kapur, Neena Gupta, Om Puri, Satish Shah and Satish Kaushik, Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro went unnoticed finding no takers at the box office due to unknown actors. As a result, the film sank without a trace branded as a flop. It took a while for the film to release on Doordarshan and make the audience realize what a gem it was. The circulation of the film’s video cassette in the 80s and 90s made it a cult comedy classic.
8. Agneepath (1990)
Agneepath happens to be one of Amitabh Bachchan’s career's best performances. The Mukul Anand-directed film was one of the most awaited biggies of that year and went on to do moderate business at the ticket counters. The reason for its underperformance was seen as the undoing of Amitabh Bachchan’s experimentation with his voice. Audiences who were used to his usual voice felt that there was some fault in the audio or belonged to someone else. A week after the release of the film the makers re-dubbed it in Big B’s original voice but it was too late too little. The only saving grace for the superstar was when he received a National Award for portraying the immortal character, Vijay Dinnanath Chauhan.
9. Lamhe (1991)
Lamhe became Yash Chopra’s second damp squib after Silsila. Lamhe starring Anil Kapoor and Sridevi features among the top ten romantic movies of 100 years, and received a thumbs down from the audience for dealing with a theme that was considered subtly incestuous. Despite being Yash Chopra’s personal favourite and fetching Sridevi that year's Filmfare Award for Best Actress, the film faced instant rejection but somehow did exceedingly well in the UK. Often considered a film ahead of its time, Lamhe went on to become a classic.
10. Andaz Apna Apna (1994)
Rajkumar Santoshi’s Andaz Apna Apna too surprisingly joins the list of Bollywood box office flops that became cult classics over the years. The laugh-a-riot movie that got Aamir Khan and Salman Khan together on-screen for the first time was shrugged off by the audience after opening to packed houses in 1994. The film which took a while to reach the crossing line was barely even average according to trade pundits who were betting heavily on it. The Salman-Aamir chemistry was nothing short of magic making each scene unique in its own way. Many of the 90s movie buffs are yet to figure out why it failed to do the business it was expected to. Nevertheless, AAA continues to be among Bollywood’s top 10 all-time favourite comedy films.
11. Dil Se.. (1998)
Dil Se.. was maverick director Mani Ratnam’s first straight Hindi film that received a thumbs down from the audiences. Starring Shah Rukh Khan, Manisha Koirala, and Preity Zinta in the lead, Dil Se.. opened to packed houses with some haunting melodies from A.R. Rahman but somehow many felt that the soul was missing that usually, a Mani Ratnam film has. No one thought that a highly stylized film shot in the enchanting landscapes of Himachal Pradesh, Ladakh, Assam, and Bhutan would end up as a box office disappointment. But as time passed, the film started to gain cult status with Chaiyya Chaiyya song holding center stage.
12. Gunda (1998)
Who could imagine that Mithun Chakraborty’s Gunda would make it to this list? The action pot-boiler unbelievably had everything over-the-top including each scene and dialogue unintentionally funny with character names like Bulla, Pote, Lamboo Aata, Bachubhai Bhigona, Chutiya, Ibu Hatela, Lucky Chikna, and Kala Shetty. Watching Kanti Shah’s Gunda is so bad that you slowly and steadily start to enjoy it on the loop. Believe it or not, the film continues to have a cult following including the likes it has received on Youtube.
13. Sooryavansham (1999)
Amitabh Bachchan's Sooryavansham released in 1999 had a dismal run at the box office when released in theatres but gained massive popularity over the last few years. The reason for the film to have generated a cult following has been due to its repeat telecast on Set Max TV channel which has been done umpteenth times. Many felt that this E.V.V. Satyanarayana directorial despite having a good star cast, story and treatment deserved a better run.
14. Swades (2004)
Much was expected of Swades after the release of Ashutosh Gowariker’s blockbuster Lagaan but as luck would have it the film ended up as a box office disappointment. Swades proved a point that a film doesn’t necessarily have to be good to rake in the moolah. A good film will always find an audience and appreciation whenever it is watched. Swades is one film that’ll make you think and identify with Mohan Bhargav, the character played by Shah Rukh Khan in the film. Though the film did average business at the ticket windows but went on to become a cult classic and arguably SRK’s best-ever performance.
15. Lakshya (2004)
Farhan Akhtar’s Lakshya was a coming-of-age tale of an underdog who fights against all odds to achieve his objective and make a name for himself. The biopic written by Javed Akhtar weaved in romance and patriotism, without being overly melodramatic or preachy. The film struck an instant chord with many youngsters who didn’t know what to do in life. Many failed to understand why the film surprisingly didn’t do the kind of business it was expected to despite having stars like Hrithik Roshan and Preity Zinta in the lead. Nevertheless, the film has gained cult status and continues to inspire the youth giving goosebumps to many who understand what it takes to be a soldier protecting our borders in adverse conditions.
