Mumbai, India

The unexpected release of The Ladykiller, starring Bollywood actors Arjun Kapoor and Bhumi Pednekar, on November 3, 2023, left many in disbelief. Firstly, the film's trailer was unveiled just five days before its release. Later, it was revealed that the film, directed by Ajay Bahl, was incomplete and was going to be released in just a dozen theatres across India. As a result, it sold only 293 tickets on day one, grossing only Rs 38,000 and making it the biggest box office flop to date. 

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To shed light on the mysteries surrounding the film's peculiar release, Ajay Bahl took to the comments section of Tried and Refused Productions' YouTube page. In his comment, he provided insights into the challenges the film faced.

Ajay acknowledged the film's incompleteness, stating that 30 pages out of the 117-page screenplay were never filmed. He explained that numerous crucial connecting scenes were omitted, such as Arjun and Bhumi's entire romance, Bhumi's struggles with alcohol, Arjun's feelings of entrapment and loss, and his ultimate desperation and escape from town, which had a profound impact on the characters' psychological depth.

Ajay also addressed speculations regarding the film's challenges. He made it clear that the difficulties did not arise due to the actors, who he described as a joy to work with. 

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"To confirm, yes, the movie is incomplete. 30 pages of the 117-page screenplay were never shot. A huge number of connecting scenes—Arjun and Bhumi’s entire romance, Bhumi’s dependence on alcohol, Ajrun’s sense of being trapped and losing everything and having to run from town, his sense of total despair—all these psychological beats are missing. So yes, it's no surprise that the film feels choppy and disjointed, and one finds it hard to connect with the characters. Now about the rumours floating out here, As director, it was extremely painful to shoot The Lady Killer, but absolutely not because of the actors. Arjun and Bhumi were sheer joys to work with. They gave their heart and soul to the film. The problem lied elsewhere, but that is another story," Ajay wrote in the comments.

Aside from Arjun Kapoor and Bhumi Pednekar, The Ladykiller also features Priyanka Bose, S. M. Zaheer, Ekavali Khanna, Denzil Smith, and Deepak Tokas in pivotal roles.

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The film's release in only 12 theatres across the country on November 3, 2023, was reportedly influenced by various factors, including cost overruns, adverse weather conditions in Uttarakhand, and a lack of reshoots. The production team had to resort to multiple edits and voiceovers in a bid to rectify the issues.

The Ladykiller will soon be released on Netflix, according to the latest reports.