Gadar Director Says Surefire Hit Flopped He Was Too Secular Ab Tumhare Hawale Watan Sathiyo

Despite Ab Tumhare Hawale Watan Sathiyo (2004) arriving close on the heels of his Gadar: Ek Prem Katha (2001), which became one of the biggest successes of its era, director Anil Sharma couldn’t recreate the same magic. Although the war film featured a star-studded cast, including Amitabh Bachchan, Bobby Deol, and Akshay Kumar, it underperformed at the box office.

Anil Sharma recently commented on Ab Tumhare Hawale Watan Sathiyo’s failure, sharing what he felt led to the outcome. He maintained that the movie failed to resonate with the audience because of its portrayal of the Indian and Pakistani armies working together. The director claimed he crafted the story in this manner in response to previous criticisms that his films were jingoistic, ruing he became ‘too secular’ while making the film that led to its box office failure.

“If I narrated the story of Ab Tumhare Hawale Watan Sathiyo to you in just one line today, you would say it would be a super-hit. ‘The Amarnath Yatra (pilgrimage) is happening in India, and Pakistan opposes it. Subsequently, the Indian Army enters the scene to ensure it’s completed without any issues’ — this was the thought behind it. And this story idea would be a hit yesterday, today, and forever. It can’t flop,” he shared during a conversation with Shubhankar Mishra.

Anil Sharma noted, “Yet, despite such a massive star cast, the film couldn’t achieve what it was meant to. The reason was simply that the times and atmospheres were changing. Meanwhile, a thought occurred to me: why not show India and Pakistan working together? So, I designed the climax with both forces joining together. I showed the Pakistan Army also arriving to protect the Amarnath Yatra, and helping save the pilgrims from terrorists.”

Must Read | Anirudh Ravichander to marry SRH owner Kavya Maran, says uncle: ‘It’s a sure thing’

However, he said, this portrayal proved to be a mistake, as Indian audiences weren’t okay with it. “The Indian public doesn’t think like that, and it isn’t the reality either. Such things don’t happen. Why would the Pakistan Army ever help?” When asked if he became a bit too “secular” back then, the director admitted, “Yes, I did. Sometimes the mind just changes, or perhaps I was trying to adapt to that era’s mood.”

When asked if he became too secular, the filmmaker agreed and accepted that it led to the film’s failure. “The atmosphere was such that many people were accusing me of making jingoistic films and ‘bashing’ others. Even though Gadar had no bashing, people still made those claims. A man’s mind can change at times. I wanted to show that I don’t believe in bashing and that I am very secular. Deep down, I want Hindus and Muslims to stay together, and for everyone to co-exist. Gadar’s message was about how love can bloom amid an atmosphere of hate. I tried to do something similar by bringing both sides together and making them embark on a journey together (in Ab Tumhare Hawale Watan Sathiyo). But instead, my own cinematic journey stopped,” he added.

According to Box Office India, Ab Tumhare Hawale Watan Sathiyo was mounted on a budget of Rs 20 crore. Despite earning about Rs 7.19 crore in its opening week, the movie ended its box-office run with a global gross of just Rs 19.16 crore. The film also featured Divya Khosla, Sandali Sinha, and Danny Denzongpa in key roles.