Utkarsh Sharma REACTS to box office failure of Vanvaas with Nana Patekar: 'The screen war between Allu Arjun's Pushpa 2 and Varun Dhawan's Baby John affected us a lot'

Utkarsh Sharma, son of filmmaker Anil Sharma, made his debut as a lead actor in Gadar 2, after starring as a child actor in the original Gadar. He later worked with his father again on the 2024 family drama Vanvaas, which also featured Nana Patekar and Simratt Kaur. Despite the film receiving mixed reviews, it struggled at the box office.

Release Timing and Screen Competition

In conversation with SCREEN, Utkarsh discussed why Vanvaas didn’t perform well. He shared that the main reason for Vanvaas's poor box office performance was its release timing. He felt the film got overshadowed by Pushpa 2 and Baby John, which led to a fierce competition for screens. Despite some growth in the first week, the limited screen availability affected the film’s potential. Operating at 90-95% capacity, there was demand, but the intense screen competition hindered its success. He hopes future releases avoid such issues, as India doesn’t have enough screens for multiple big films at once.

OTT Success and Theatrical Reactions

While Vanvaas gained a new audience on streaming, Utkarsh admitted that he would have preferred seeing the audience’s reactions in theatres. He mentioned that the film did well on OTT and received positive reviews, as there’s no competition for screens there. However, he feels more excited by the energy of theatre audiences. While OTT was beneficial for Vanvaas, he misses the direct feedback from viewers, saying it’s like working from home, which lacks the fun of experiencing the audience’s reactions live.

Why He Chose Vanvaas

Utkarsh shared why he agreed to be part of Vanvaas. He explained that he saw it as a rare opportunity to be part of a family film made for the big screen, as such films are no longer being made for cinemas. He felt the emotional and family-oriented theme of the film made it a project worth taking on.

Continuous Growth as an Actor

He further added that as an actor, it's a continuous process of learning and growth. He acknowledged that over time, he becomes more aware of his strengths and weaknesses, realizing areas where he could have improved. It's an opportunity to challenge himself and keep discovering new aspects of his craft.

Upcoming Projects: Comedy and Action

When asked about his upcoming projects, Utkarsh Sharma revealed that he is currently working on two very different films—one is a full-on comedy, while the other is a pure action film. He shared that tackling these contrasting genres is challenging but also a great learning experience for him with each project.