Anubhav Sinha Reflects On Ra.One's Downfall: 'Bollywood Wanted Shah Rukh Khan To Fail'

Anubhav Sinha, the director behind films like Mulk and Article 15, recently opened up about the making and failure of Ra.One, the sci-fi film starring Shah Rukh Khan. In a candid interview, Sinha discussed how the film’s journey was a rollercoaster, from its promising beginning to its disappointing end at the box office.

Sinha shared how the idea for Ra.One first came to him in 2005. He started working on it in 2006. Despite many conversations, nothing was set in stone with Shah Rukh Khan at that time. But then, during a press conference in Berlin, Khan unexpectedly revealed the project to the public before heading back to India. This caught Sinha off guard, as he wasn’t prepared for the sudden media attention. Once Sinha got the chance to speak with Khan, the actor casually told him, “Why hide it?”

Despite the early surprise, the film began taking shape. According to Sinha, it wasn’t about money – Shah Rukh Khan never brought up financial matters during the making of Ra.One. The film’s estimated budget ranged from ₹90 to ₹120 crore, but for Sinha, the main challenge was the sheer scale of the project. He admitted, “I lost control of the film.” Working on such a big movie was a first for everyone involved, and he found himself overwhelmed at times.

One of the most challenging parts of the production was working with an international team. Sinha found himself collaborating with an Italian cinematographer and an American VFX supervisor, both of whom had far more experience with large-scale films than he did. He praised Shah Rukh Khan for his intelligence and diplomatic nature. The actor was hands-on, making sure Sinha never felt sidelined. Khan even involved him in major decisions, such as casting, and helped make key choices, like bringing Akon on board for the song Chammak Chalo. When the music duo Vishal-Shekhar suggested it, Sinha called Khan, who simply said, “Let me try.”

As the film approached release, Sinha began to notice a growing sense of negativity surrounding both Ra.One and its star. By the second week of its release, it was clear that the film wasn’t meeting expectations. “It was painful,” Sinha said, recalling how the failure of the film felt like a personal blow. The director confessed that the film’s script and editing were flawed. While he still believed in the core story, he admitted trying to please everyone with a broad appeal ultimately worked against it. The only parts that were truly successful, in his eyes, were the music and the visual effects.

Sinha also shared that he was aware of a negative sentiment within Bollywood. “I have been in the industry long enough to recognize that sentiment,” he explained. Some in the industry, according to him, wanted the film to fail. This was a tough pill to swallow. What made it worse was seeing Shah Rukh Khan accept the failure of Ra.One. “It was heartbreaking,” Sinha said, adding that he felt he had let both the film and the actor down.

Despite the film’s setback, Sinha still has respect for the vision Shah Rukh Khan had for the project. The director admitted that while the execution fell short, Khan’s ambition for Ra.One was admirable. The film may not have turned out as expected, but it’s clear that the journey, for better or worse, was an important one for both Khan and Sinha.

The failure of Ra.One was not just a personal disappointment for the director, but also a bitter reminder of the pressure and expectations that come with big-budget films in Bollywood. While Ra.One didn’t find the success it aimed for, it’s clear that Sinha and Khan learned important lessons from the experience, ones that would shape their future projects in the industry.