Has Hrithik Roshan's brand value taken a hit post 'Mohenjo Daro' debacle?

Hrithik Roshan

As the popular show business saying goes, you are only as good as your last film. In the first major clash of 2016, Hrithik Roshan's Mohenjo Daro locked horns with Akshay Kumar's Rustom and the consequences have been disastrous, to say the least.

Also read: 'Mohenjo Daro' - Movie Review

Hrithik Roshan

By the end of the first two days, the period drama, which is reportedly made at a Rs 130-crore budget, has collected Rs 18.37 crore while Akki's thriller is way ahead in the race with Rs 30.54 crore. The film's sinking fortune has reopened a debate that most actors dread - a reassessment of their standing in the industry.

Also read: 'Rustom' - Movie Review

Trade pundit Vishek Chauhan says the actor's brand value has taken a serious beating post the debacle of Mohenjo Daro and that it's time for self-introspection. "Hrithik is a huge star with a massive fan following. But, he hasn't delivered a good film in years barring Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara (2011), which had an ensemble cast and the credit was unanimously shared by the actors and director Zoya Akhtar. As far as his recent releases go, Bang Bang clashed with Shahid Kapoor's Haider, made for the niche audience, while Krrish 3 didn't have any competition at the ticket counters," he adds.

Chauhan guesses that the failure of his latest outing might just prompt him to push back the release date of his next - home production, Kaabil, which is being helmed by Sanjay Gupta. "Hrithik has gone wrong with the choice of subjects and needs a good comeback, something that can give him critical as well as commercial success," he avers.

Also read: Box office: Akshay Kumar's 'Rustom' beats Hrithik Roshan's 'Mohenjo Daro' on Day 1

Box office expert Girish Wankhede, however, feels Hrithik is too big a brand to be affected by one flop. "A film is a director's vision and actors merely play their parts. In this case, Mohenjo Daro has failed, but Hrithik hasn't. So, his fan following will remain intact. He believes in experimenting with different genres and this one didn't pay off. But, there's always scope for a talent to bounce back," he argues.

Trade analyst Amod Mehra disagrees. He reasons that while Bang Bang entered the Rs 100-crore club, it could hardly recover the production cost. "Apart from Dhoom 2 (2006) and Jodhaa Akbar (2008), which earned critical acclaim, he has only been successful with his father's ventures, the last being Krrish 3. But, there's no denying that he is supremely talented, or that he has remained unsung. All he needs is a good director and a good script," Mehra explains.

It is too soon to write Hrithik off, says trade ace Komal Nahta, adding, "Mohenjo Daro is a big flop, no doubt. But when you are a star, success and failure hardly change your market worth."

What if the audience rejects Kaabil, too? "He will still be in the reckoning. He has been in this industry for 15 years and his brand value has been established."