Loveyapa writer breaks silence on film's dismal box office performance: ‘It may take time for audience to fully connect’

Junaid Khan and Khushi Kapoor-starrer Loveyapa released in theatres on February 7, but audiences seemed to swipe left on this modern take on relationships and romance. The film opened to mixed reviews and underperformed at the box office. In an interview with India Today, the writer of the film, Sneha Desai, has given her take on the film's poor box office performance, and suggested that it might do well when it gets an OTT release. (Also read: Loveyapa review: Not much love for this love story featuring Junaid Khan, Khushi Kapoor, which is funny only in parts)

What the writer of the film said

In the interview, Sneha said: “Box office numbers don’t always tell the full story of a film’s impact. 'Loveyapa' is a fresh, unconventional take on romance that caters primarily to Gen-Z and millennials, who relate deeply to its humour, sarcasm, and modern take on love, nanoships and infidelity. However, because it is a unique style of rom-com, a remake at that, one that doesn’t necessarily follow the traditional Bollywood formula, it may take time for a wider audience to fully connect with it.”

‘Maybe a lot of people were shy’

She went on to add, “People prefer to watch larger-than-life portrayals on screen and lesser-mounted films on OTT. Maybe a lot of people were shy of sampling the film in cinemas for this reason. It might just open to great numbers when we arrive on digital platforms. But the gratifying thing is that everyone who has seen it has come out pleasantly surprised with the film and performances.”

Loveyapa is the Hindi remake of Pradeep Ranganathan's Tamil film Love Today. It is directed by Advait Chandan. The film revolves around Gaurav (Junaid) and Baani (Khushi), whose love story gets messy when Khushi’s father, essayed by Ashutosh Rana, gives them a challenge to exchange their phones and prove their love. It has so far collected ₹ 6.85 crore.