By Ram Gopal Varma Reveals a Director Struggled with ‘KGF 2’: ‘Success Speaks for Itself’
KGF 2: Filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma recently shared an interesting conversation he had with a well-known director who struggled to sit through the Yash-starrer KGF: Chapter 2. According to Varma, the director found the film nearly “unbearable” and had to take multiple breaks just to get through it.
In an interview with Pinkvilla, Varma revealed that the director admitted he couldn’t watch more than 15 minutes of KGF 2 at a time. To cope, he would step out onto his balcony for “breathing sessions” and even practice yoga. “I tried to see KGF 2, you know; after 15 minutes, I couldn’t take it,” Varma recalled the director saying. “Then he went to a breathing session on the balcony and did yoga. He came back and saw another 15 minutes, then took a shower. He was willing himself to continue.” Despite his efforts, the director ultimately found the film unbearable and decided to stop watching it altogether after the intermission.
Varma expressed his surprise at the film’s massive success, particularly given the strong reaction from this director. However, even the director who disliked it acknowledged its commercial triumph, conceding, “You can argue about the content, but you can’t argue with success.”
The filmmaker went on to explain how this director later found himself referencing KGF 2 while discussing a script with his writer. “Two days later, he was sitting with his writer, and when the writer suggested something illogical, he objected. But then he admitted, ‘Well, that’s what worked in KGF 2,’” Varma recounted. This led to a broader discussion about artistic integrity versus commercial appeal. The dilemma, Varma pointed out, is whether a director should stay true to his creative vision or adapt to what the audience wants, even if it contradicts his personal taste.
Varma also touched upon the dangers of filmmakers losing their convictions in the pursuit of box-office success. He warned that if a director constantly tries to cater to audience expectations rather than his own storytelling instincts, he risks losing his unique voice in the process.
This isn’t the first time Varma has criticized KGF: Chapter 2. Back in 2022, he had expressed strong opinions about the film, calling it a “dark cloud” over the Hindi film industry. He claimed that Bollywood filmmakers disliked it and even went so far as to say that KGF: Chapter 2 and The Kashmir Files had “messed up everything.” According to him, these two films represented completely opposite ends of the cinematic spectrum but had equally disrupted Bollywood’s traditional filmmaking approach.
Despite his criticisms, Varma acknowledged that both films were commercially successful, proving that audience preferences don’t always align with a director’s personal taste. This raises an important question for filmmakers: should they stick to their creative instincts, or should they adapt to what resonates with the masses?
Ultimately, Varma’s comments shed light on a larger debate in the film industry—whether artistic conviction should take precedence over commercial viability. While some directors may struggle to accept the popularity of films they personally dislike, their success at the box office suggests that they are striking a chord with audiences in ways that traditional filmmaking norms may not always predict.
