Actor Utkarsh Sharma, son of filmmaker Anil Sharma, made his lead debut in “Gadar 2” after playing a child artist in the original “Gadar”. He then starred in his father’s latest film, “Vanvas”, a family drama alongside Nana Patekar and Simrat Kaur. Despite its promising premise, “Vanvas” tanked at the box office.
Clashing with Blockbusters
Utkarsh Sharma recently spoke to Indian Express about the film’s underwhelming performance. He believes the release timing was off, caught between “Pushpa 2” and “Baby John”, both of which hogged the screens. “We analyzed it from every angle and understood that our release date was a bit off,” he said. The screen war between the two bigger films hurt “Vanvas”, limiting its screen count and impacting its collection. “Sadly, we don’t have enough screens in India to accommodate 2-3 different films at the same time,” Utkarsh added.
The film did find some success on OTT platforms, where it received good reviews. Utkarsh noted that OTT lacks the excitement of a theatrical release. “It’s like working from home – it’s not fun,” he said, highlighting the importance of audience reaction in a theater setting.
Why ‘Vanvas’?
Utkarsh explained why he chose to star in “Vanvas”. He saw it as a rare opportunity to be part of a family film meant for theaters. “I thought, how would I get another chance to do a family film for the cinema?” he said. The emotional and family-oriented storyline drew him to the project.
With “Vanvas” behind him, Utkarsh is now busy shooting for a comedy and an action film. His next projects promise a different tone, showcasing his versatility as an actor.