Siddharth Anand recalls "Boycott Bollywood" trend when SRK-starrer 'Pathaan' was released

Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], January 2 (ANI): 2023 will always remain special to director Siddharth Anand as his film 'Pathaan', which starred Shah Rukh Khan in the lead role, created history at the box office.
As he is all set to come up with his new projects in 2024, Siddharth took a stroll down memory lane and recalled how the film created magic despite facing the "Boycott Bollywood" trend.

As the new year draws to a close, I take a moment and look back. The year 2023 that changed everything for me. It started with a lot of nervousness and anxiety. PATHAAN, my film was releasing amidst a sea of forces against it. Something very weird called Boycott Bollywood was the…

— Siddharth Anand (@justSidAnand) December 31, 2023

Taking to X, Sidharth wrote, "As the new year draws to a close, I take a moment and look back. The year 2023 that changed everything for me. It started with a lot of nervousness and anxiety. PATHAAN, my film was releasing amidst a sea of forces against it. Something very weird called Boycott Bollywood was the phrase of the season. Hindi films were written off by naysayers. And then the day came. 25th January. I remember waking up at 7am. After going to bed at 3:30am post the cast & crew screening. Woke up feeling numb."
He added, "The 1st show had just started. Mamta & me decided to go to our friend Jayu's place and wait for the public reviews. As we sat on his terrace the reviews started to pour in. Unanimously it was declared a BLOCKBUSTER. I couldn't sit anymore. Decided to visit a theatre and see the reactions. Got to the theatre but for the first time didn't see the entire film with the audience. I saw the first 30 mins and I could gauge the pulse of the audience. It was something else. And then the videos started pouring in. Of people dancing in theatres to Jhoome Jo Pathaan. History was created. Pathaan became an ALL TIME BLOCKBUSTER IN 2023."
Siddharth is now gearing up for the release of his film 'Fighter', which is headlined by Hrithik Roshan, Deepika Padukone and Anil Kapoor.
Talking about it, he shared, "Something else also happened in 2023. Mamta & me started our film company MARFLIX with #FIGHTER. A film that is ambitious in more ways than one. It's more than just a film for us. And we have given it all to this one. 2024 starts with the same feeling again of nervousness and anxiety. Here's hoping that you guys give the same love to FIGHTER that you showered on PATHAAN. Happy new year guys! See at the movies!! On 25th January.
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'Fighter' will hit the theatres on January 25, 2024. (ANI)