mid-budget movies don’t have a chance at the box office. That has been the industry’s belief going by films’ performance over the past six months. But the success of Zara Hatke Zara Bachke (ZHZB) has busted this myth, as it runs strong even in its fourth week. The Vicky Kaushal and Sara Ali Khan-starrer has reportedly earned Rs. 80 crores, its run unhindered even by the release of magnum opus Adipurush. The leading man admits he didn’t foresee its success, especially in today’s uncertain times.

“When the film was releasing, we were quite nervous. We wondered, will people give us a chance? We were told only big-scale spectacles are working. Our film was about a middle-class family from Indore; there was no action or big-scale extravaganza. But then, its success reminds us that the central idea—of the joys and sorrows of a middle-class family—was powerful. It reiterates that we must follow our instinct,” he smiles.

One of the biggest charms of the Laxman Utekar-directed romantic comedy is the chemistry between the lead pair. “With Sara, you don’t need any ice-breaking. You meet her and instantly feel like you’ve known her a long time. She is such a pure soul.”

Having started his career in 2015 as a critics’ darling, Kaushal has journeyed to becoming a star loved by the masses. Does he worry about losing out on critical acclaim when he signs such massy films? 

“When I sign a movie, I never have these calculations—will I lose my critical acclaim? Is it massy enough? I only care about the story. Also, I look at the director’s vision, and whether it’s a character that I’ve played before. I want to deliver something new to the audience each time. What I can gain or lose from a movie is a conversation I don’t have with myself because that is not in my control.”

This is an important year for Kaushal as he will be seen in Sam Bahadur, another biopic after the acclaimed Sardar Udham (2021). But the actor insists that starting the year with a hit hardly implies that audiences will be drawn to his next with Meghna Gulzar.

“Every film has its own destiny. There is no guarantee that if your last film worked, your next will too. But Sam Bahadur is a special film. We have given it our all, in every way possible.”