The Indian film industry is known for its big-budget films. However, even the most expensive ventures can sometimes fail to deliver at the box office like Bhumi Pednekar starrer The Lady Killer.
One such example is a film that was made on a budget of ₹45 crore but only managed to earn a mere ₹60,000.
This colossal loss of nearly 99.99% stands as the biggest financial disaster in the history of Indian cinema.
Ajay Bahl’s 2023 film, The Lady Killer, has been labeled India’s biggest box office disaster. Despite a star cast featuring Arjun Kapoor and Bhumi Pednekar, the film failed to garner any significant audience interest. Produced by T-Series, the film’s production costs exceeded ₹45 crore due to several reshoots. However, its box office performance was dismal, with just 293 tickets sold on its opening day.
Reports suggest that The Lady Killer was released incomplete, with its climax yet to be filmed. Director Ajay Bahl initially confirmed this claim but later retracted his statement.
The film’s limited theatrical release in November 2023 was primarily to fulfill a contractual obligation with Netflix. The streaming giant had acquired the film’s rights, and a theatrical release was necessary to meet the terms of the deal. As a result, the film was released without much fanfare or promotion.
Due to the film’s rushed and incomplete release, the stars Arjun Kapoor and Bhumi Pednekar did not participate in any promotional activities. The film’s poor performance at the box office led to its streaming deal with Netflix being canceled. Eventually, The Lady Killer was released for free on YouTube in September 2024, receiving mixed reviews and a lukewarm response from the audience.
