The film has been panned by critics and is not going great guns at the box office. The poor response to the film though hasn’t dampened the spirits of director Imtiaz Ali and actor Shah Rukh Khan. Speaking with reporters at a promotional event, both defended their film strongly.
Ali was surprised at the perception that his film perhaps veers to the intelligent side.
“Some said you really need to be intelligent to understand an Imtiaz Ali film. For me that was a blow. I feel that I have never been part of any intelligent club. I wanted to make a very simple film with all my heart. I have not made this film for praise. You know I would like to be the director who can make different kinds of films. This one is made to reach the maximum number of people. Not to just get praise for myself,” said Ali.
Ali stressed that people might think Jab Harry Met Sejal to be an 'intelligent master piece' but he never intended it to be one.
Meanwhile, Khan felt that people go with preconceived notions, which are borne out of watching the director’s previous works.
“I have not seen Imtiaz Ali's previous work. I have always believed the film should go beyond the subject and create some magic. I also believe people come with preconceived notion that they have seen already,” said Khan.
Standing by his director, Khan also defended claims that Jab Harry Met Sejal is a recreation of Ali's previous films. “I have worked with Adi (director Aditya Chopra) again. Anushka and I have - in Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi. But there will never be another Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge. So every writer or director does not want to go back to the same magic because he/she does not know how it was created,” said Khan.
The film does not seem to have gone anywhere at the box office, only bagging just over Rs50 crore nett in four days, while it was made on a budget of Rs80 crore.
For Khan it is another blow after Raees (2017), and Fan (2016) failed to take off at the box office.
Khan will be next seen in Anand L Rai’s untitled next where plays a dwarf.