Sekhar Kapur Recalls Masoom’s Shock Start

Veteran filmmaker Sekhar Kapur has shared a powerful throwback story about the dramatic opening day of his debut film Masoom, revealing how the movie went from near-empty theatres to becoming a surprise hit and later a cult classic. In a recent social media post, the director recalled visiting a main theatre on the first day of Masoom’s release, only to find the cinema hall almost completely empty, with just two people inside, including himself. At the time, black marketing of movie tickets was common, where groups would buy tickets in bulk and resell them at higher prices if shows were full. For Masoom, even the first show on the first day failed to attract crowds, leading to financial losses for ticket resellers.
Kapur described a tense moment outside the theatre when some angry young men confronted him after learning he was the director, as they had lost money on the empty show. One of them even advised him not to make what he called an “article film,” mistakenly referring to an “artistic film,” warning that such films would not help build a career. The director said the halls remained empty for several days after release, and the distributors eventually decided to stop supporting the film, as it was too costly to keep screening it to empty theatres. The decision left Kapur deeply shaken, and he recalled walking the streets of Mumbai, wondering if his journey as a filmmaker had already ended.
However, the story took an unexpected turn later that week. On Thursday, Kapur received a call from a friend asking for tickets to Masoom, which he initially thought was a joke. To his surprise, one theatre had filled up that day, and by Friday, long queues began forming for tickets. Over the weekend, demand surged so strongly that distributors rushed to reclaim theatres they had earlier given up. The film was soon declared a hit, and over time, Masoom went on to earn cult status among audiences.
Reflecting on this sudden turnaround, Sekhar Kapur said he still wonders what changed so dramatically in just a few days. Many later credited the film’s success to word of mouth, but the director questioned how that could have happened when very few people had initially watched the movie. As he prepares to work on Masoom: The Next Generation years after the original, Kapur expressed curiosity about whether the new project will also be seen as an “artistic film” and how audiences will respond in today’s cinematic landscape. His story has resonated widely with film lovers, offering a rare glimpse into the emotional highs and lows behind a classic film’s journey to success.
The post Sekhar Kapur Recalls Masoom’s Shock Start appeared first on TeluguBulletin.com.