When Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara producer's relative ‘shouted’ at Zoya Akhtar and told her she made a 'rubbish film'; Here's what happened

Zoya Akhtar recently revealed that there was a relative of Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara producer who shouted at her during the screening and called her film 'rubbish'. Know what happened next!

Updated on Sep 25, 2024  |  04:27 PM IST |  47K
When an uncle ‘shouted’ at Zoya Akhtar and called ZNMD a ‘rubbish movie’ (Instagram/@zoieakhtar)
When an uncle ‘shouted’ at Zoya Akhtar and called ZNMD a ‘rubbish movie’ (Instagram/@zoieakhtar)

Zoya Akhtar made her directorial debut with Luck By Chance (2009) followed by her career-best project Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara. While the movie was received extremely well by the audiences and critics, the filmmaker recently spoke to The Hollywood Reporter India and recalled how an uncle shouted at her during the premiere of ZNMD and called the movie ‘rubbish’.

Zoya was joined by Karan Johar where they both spoke about ‘hating’ the concept of showing movies to the focus groups and that those people can be quite ‘ruthless’. KJo recalled how Zoya showed Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara to an astute commercial mind who opined, “Oh there are too many travel shots”. Hearing this, Zoya said, “It’s a travel film”.

The same person was also available during the screening of Gully Boy and said, “There is too much rapping”. Zoya then also explained to him, “Because this is a film about rap” and said, “What am I doing here?” Akhtar soon added that she doesn’t like taking feedback because she doesn’t want to hear everything people say.

ALSO READ: ZNMD Turns 13: Abhay Deol asks Zoya Akhtar for update on sequel; Katrina Kaif, Hrithik Roshan and Farhan Akhtar chime in with nostalgia

Zoya Akhtar revealed why she stopped going to screenings and said, “I have been shouted at once in a focus group. There was this uncle, he was the producer’s father’s friend. It was the focus group screening for ZNMD. He went like, ‘This is a rubbish movie. What is going on? What are they doing? They are driving?’ I was like, ‘Sir, this movie is not for you. Because I cannot do anything to make this movie for you.'” 

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The 51-year-old apparently said that the movie was 'actually not for him'. KJo, too, chimed in to explain how he hated the process of research screenings. He said that when people walk out of screenings, it resembles the funeral line, where you stand with folded hands to hear some word.

“A filmmaker feels exactly the same outside an editing room. You can tell by their body language if they liked it or hated it, and then you have to ask them what they thought, and you are just worried about what they are going to say,” Karan added.

Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara was released on July 15, 2011, and still remains a fan-favorite. The movie, over the years, achieved a cult status and is probably one of the best travel movies made so far. 

ALSO READ: ‘Karan Johar, you just have to stop paying’: Zoya Akhtar echoes issue of rising entourage costs of A-listers; Find out how KJo reacted

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About The Author

Aditya Sagar is an Entertainment Journalist who holds a true-blue Bollywood heart and has his ears tuned to the

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Credits: The Hollywood Reporter India
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