Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara is hailed as one of the best movies of its time. The film starring Hrithik Roshan, Abhay Deol, Farhan Akhtar and Katrina Kaif in lead roles, had a larger-than-life storyline. Shot in the beautiful locales of Spain, the movie’s characters resonated with the audience. If you would say that the movie would not be quite the success it was, we would say, no one would believe you.
Abhay Deol, In a recent interview with BBC Hindi, revealed that industry insiders said the movie would be a ‘flop’.
Abhay Deol’s Revelation about ZNMD
Deol, who played Kabir, the happy-go-lucky friend of the group, recalled that people from the industry had doubts about the movie. He revealed, "When we were making Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara, so many people in the film industry were asking ‘Who is the villain? There is no villain. What is inner conflict? Who will come to watch Hrithik Roshan’s inner conflict?’ We were hearing this kind of chatter."
Industry Perception of the Movie
He further added, "With the kind of platform that the movie had, the film was able to become the success it was. The concept looked fresh, on screen. The star cast and the makers of the movie, made this kind of film, with this budget, and it worked. But the film industry did not have much faith that it would work."
Abhay Deol’s Take on the Film Industry
In the same interview, Abhay Deol also talked about the critically acclaimed movie, ‘Manorama Six Feet Under' and mentioned that the film hardly got screens. With such a small marketing budget, it could not perform well at the box office. The ‘Dev D' actor stated that these types of films create culture, and if the audience isn't exposed to new ideas and stories, they will be bored and the industry will reach a saturation point.
Farhan Akhthar’s Plan for another ‘ZNMD’
Back in 2021, there was news about Farhan Akhtar's plan to make a Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara sequel with female protagonists. The movie is titled ‘Jee Le Zara’, with Alia Bhatt, Priyanka Chopra, and Katrina Kaif in the lead roles. However, reports of Priyanka Chopra Jonas pulling out of the movie have been resurfacing since last year.
