Phata Poster Nikhla Hero flops, is Shahid Kapoor to be blamed?

Until recently Shahid Kapoor was regarded as one of the best-packaged star-actors among the contemporary entertainers of Bollywood.

With his last two films 'Mausam' and 'Teri Meri Kahaani' proving to be epic losses at the box office, the actor was banking on the success of his new release 'Phata Poster Nikhla Hero.'

But the movie has failed to impress the audience and it has been labelled by insiders as Phata Poster Nikhla Zero.

Says a director, who not so long ago offered Shahid a solid role in a film that went on to be a runaway success, "Shahid Kapoor asked me for a hard-bound script. I told him I don't work that way. He said he works in no other way. I want to know what kind of a hard-bound script Santoshi offered him for Phata Poster... I can't see any evidence of a script in the film."
A marketing head from a multiplex chain in Mumbai says it's a case of Shahid Kapoor trying to be what he is not.
"He is good at comedy. But he is not great at it. Why has he been made to do what Salman did with 'Dabangg' and Ranbir Kapoor in 'Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahaani'? We got a poor opening for 'Phata Poster Nikhla hero' as low as 40 to 50 per cent attendance on the first day. We are hoping the collections would pick up. But we doubt it! Audiences just don't find the film entertaining."

Trade expert Taran Adarsh admits the opening of 'Phata Poster Nikhla Hero' has been disappointing.

"The numbers are not in-sync with the merits of the film."

Abother trade analyst Amod Mehra said: "Shahid has had quite a few flops recently. Furthermore, neither the film's title nor the trailer was exciting. A couple of songs were liked. But before they could become chartbusters the film was released."