An ensemble cast does not guarantee a film’s commercial or critical success, as exemplified by the 2002 Bollywood film ‘Jaani Dushman: Ek Anokhi Kahani’. Directed by Rajkumar Kohli, this film featured a star-studded lineup, including Akshay Kumar, Sunny Deol, Suniel Shetty, Manisha Koirala, Arshad Warsi, Aftab Shivdasani, Armaan Kohli, and even Sonu Nigam, who stepped in to replace Salman Khan due to his unavailability.
‘Jaani Dushman’ has become a (counter-)classic in its own right, not just for its cast but also for its groundbreaking special effects and its overwhelmingly negative reception. Its Wikipedia article has drawn significant attention on social media for being one of the most brutally honest entries ever written about a film.
The article states, “Upon its release, the film (Jaani Dushman) received overwhelmingly negative reviews and was a box office failure. Critics cited a poorly executed story, illogical scenes, and miscasting, notably the use of older actors as college students.” It further claims, “Several scenes were plagiarised from Hollywood films, including ‘The Terminator’ and ‘The Matrix’. The film is widely regarded as one of the worst ever made. Following its failure, director Rajkummar Kohli retired from filmmaking.”
The guy who wrote the Jaani Dushman wiki had a personal grudge against the makers. pic.twitter.com/BWuoRvY21K
— rocky hiranandani (@IndieKnopfler) October 19, 2024
Additionally, the article mentions that Sonu Nigam’s acting debut was “poorly received” and notes that the film not only marked a disappointing start for him but also the end of many careers, including those of Kiran Rathod, Pinky Campbell, Siddharth Ray, and Rambha.
However, over the years, ‘Jaani Dushman’ has achieved cult status in the “so bad it’s good” genre due to frequent television reruns. Sharing a screenshot of the Wikipedia entry, X user Rocky Hiranandani remarked, “The guy who wrote the Jaani Dushman wiki had a personal grudge against the makers.” The film’s box office collection barely surpassed its budget of ₹18 crore, ultimately branding it a “flop.”
