Recently, several actors and actresses have struggled to captivate the audience. These individuals, who were once known as ‘superstars’ and had the ability to draw crowds to theaters, have now lost their charm. Whether due to poor film choices, lackluster screenplays, or an excessive number of releases in a year, these actors have lost their box office appeal.
No one can deny that Bollywood is a highly competitive industry, and the definition of a ‘superstar’ may vary based on factors such as box office success, popularity among fans, and critical acclaim. Some actors who were once considered superstars are facing challenges in maintaining their status due to a lack of successful films in recent years. From actors like Akshay Kumar to Kangana Ranaut, who were once considered the reigning superstars of Bollywood, have faced difficulties in maintaining their box-office success in recent years. Their recent films have not performed as well as expected, and they may need to reinvent themselves to remain relevant in the industry.
Here is a list of such superstars who have failed to attract viewers to theaters in recent times and may be on the verge of losing their stardom.
Kangana Ranaut
Kangana Ranaut made a name for herself in Bollywood with critically acclaimed performances in movies such as “Queen,” “Tanu Weds Manu,” and “Manikarnika: The Queen of Jhansi.” However, in recent times, Kangana has struggled to deliver a successful movie, with her recent films failing to impress both the audience and the critics. Her movie “Thalaivii,” based on the life of former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa, was expected to revive her career, but it failed to make a mark at the box office. Similarly, her films “Dhaakad”, “Chandramukhi 2” and “Tejas” failed miserably. Despite her immense talent and dedication, Kangana has been unable to find a suitable script or story that resonates with the audience, and she now faces the challenge of reinventing herself to regain her superstar status.
Akshay Kumar
Since 2016, Akshay Kumar has been on a winning streak at the box office, with each of his films performing well regardless of category. In reality, the year 2019 can be called a peak for Akshay because he produced not one, but four huge blockbusters, two of which crossed the Rs 200 crore mark and all four crossed the Rs 150 crore mark. Akshay seemed unstoppable at the box office, with his then-upcoming schedule looking fantastic.
However, in the year 2022, everything changed. The superstar’s worst nightmare arrived. He had five releases – four of which were theatrical outings and one of which debuted on OTT. All four theatrical screenings – “Samrat Prithviraj”, “Bachchhan Paandey”, “Ram Setu”, “Raksha Bandhan” bombed at the box office, and even the lone OTT broadcast – “Cuttputtli” had little effect. After his recent failure of the movie – Selfiee, Mission Raniganj many netizens came forward to question his stardom. These movies have registered the lowest opening of his career.
Aamir Khan
Aamir Khan is one of the most respected and talented actors in Bollywood who has delivered several critically acclaimed and commercially successful films. Known as the “perfectionist” of the industry, Aamir is known for his meticulous attention to detail and his ability to choose scripts that resonate with the audience. However, in recent times, Aamir has struggled to deliver a successful film, with his recent releases failing to make a mark at the box office.
His movie “Thugs of Hindostan,” which was one of the most expensive films ever made in Bollywood, was a complete disappointment both critically and commercially. Similarly, his last film “Laal Singh Chaddha” faced a lot of criticism. Despite his immense talent and star power, Aamir now faces the challenge of reinventing himself and selecting scripts that appeal to the audience to regain his superstar status in Bollywood.
Varun Dhawan
Varun Dhawan is popularly known for his energetic and charismatic performances in movies such as “Badlapur,” “Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhania,” and “Judwaa 2.” However, in recent times, Varun has struggled to deliver a successful film, with his recent releases failing to make a mark at the box office. His movie “Street Dancer 3D,” which was anticipated as a potential blockbuster, did not perform well commercially.
Similarly, his film “Coolie No. 1” was panned by critics and failed to impress the audience. And, how could we forget to mention the big-budget movie Kalank? His recent movies – Jug Jug Jeeyo and Bhediya – have also failed to earn the ‘hit’ status at the box office. And, his last movie – “Bawaal” – received a lot of criticism.
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Ayushmann Khurrana
Ayushmann Khurrana is a talented Bollywood actor who has won hearts with his exceptional performances in movies such as “Andhadhun,” “Article 15,” and “Badhaai Ho.” Known for his unconventional choices and impeccable acting skills, Ayushmann has been able to strike a chord with the audience with his relatable characters and unique storylines. However, in recent times, Ayushmann has struggled to deliver a successful film, with his recent releases failing to make a mark at the box office. His movie “Chandigarh Kare Aashiqui,” which was anticipated as a potential blockbuster, did not perform well commercially.
Similarly, his film “Gulabo Sitabo”, an OTT release – did not receive much appreciation from the audience. His recent movies – “Anek”, “Doctor-G”, “An Action Hero”, have also failed miserably at the box office. Sadly, his new movie Dream Girl 2 fails to match the magic of the original. Despite his immense talent and previous success, Ayushmann now faces the challenge of selecting the right scripts and experimenting with different genres to regain his superstar status in Bollywood.
Salman Khan
Salman Khan, with his massive fan base, was once capable of drawing crowds to the cinema single-handedly. His action scenes, romantic sequences, dialogues, and even his dancing mesmerized the audience. Some movies with subpar screenplays turned out to be blockbusters just because they starred Salman Khan. Until 2017, he had an excellent run at the box office, delivering several of Bollywood’s most successful films, including Ek Tha Tiger, Tiger Zinda Hai, Sultan, and Bajrangi Bhaijaan. However, Salman’s downfall began with Abbas-Mastan’s Race 3, which was heavily criticized for its bad dialogues, unimpressive screenplay, and other issues. Many of his fans were left disappointed, and subsequent movies like Radhe, Bharat, and Antim also failed to impress as well.
It should be noted that the lack of good content is not the reason for the failure of recent Salman movies. In the past, Salman Khan had many movies without content, but his fans still loved his style and enjoyed his movies. However, recently his movies have become dull, resulting in their failure. With the release of two big-budget movies, “Tiger 3” and “Kisi Ka Bhai Kisi Ki Jaan,” we hope that Salman Khan’s series of unimpressive movies will come to an end, and he will once again dominate the box office.
We hope these actors will soon come out of their unsuccessful phase and regain the power at the box-office they once had. Which actors or actresses did we miss including in the list? Tell us in the comments below.
