Director Vignesh Shivan's latest film, 'Love Insurance Kompany (LIK)', starring Pradeep Ranganathan and Krithi Shetty, has faced a disappointing response at the box office. Following its OTT release, the director shared a lengthy note revealing that many viewers have reached out to him expressing their enjoyment of the movie.
Vignesh Shivan on Negative Reviews
Taking to his Instagram stories, Vignesh Shivan shared multiple messages from audience members who appreciated the film. He noted that these messages prompted him to reflect on what went wrong during its theatrical run. He believes that many people chose to skip the film due to the negative reviews circulating online. He also observed that some films can withstand criticism, while others cannot.
“Many people have messaged me saying they missed the film in theatres because of the overwhelming negativity they saw online. Some films survive negative reviews; others don't. For films that lack support from their ecosystem, industry peers, or influential voices, public perception can completely change their fate. Reviews written to showcase intelligence or superiority often do more than critique a film—they can discourage audiences from giving it a chance and crush the dreams of ambitious filmmakers,” he stated.
Vignesh Shivan Still Hurt by the Film's Outcome
Expressing his sadness over the poor box office performance, he admitted that he has not yet fully come to terms with the results. He described the experience as painful, especially seeing how quickly the narrative around the film shifted after a promising start.
“I still haven't fully come to terms with LIK's box office result. What hurts most is how quickly the narrative shifted after a promising opening weekend. I genuinely feel that an earnest Tamil film that tried to be different, complete, and original deserved a little more generosity from its audience,” he added.
A Lesson Vignesh Shivan Will Remember
Vignesh Shivan also shared a line told to him by a celebrated director: “The success of a film is often determined more by what surrounds it than by what exists within it.”
Speaking about 'LIK', the film had an excellent start during its opening weekend, collecting over Rs 7 crore. However, it later experienced a decline and managed to accumulate only Rs 43.07 crore by the end of Day 43. The film's worldwide collection stands at Rs 60.67 crore.
