Shahid Kapoor Reveals Deva, O Romeo Box Office Failures Changed His Script Selection Process; Says, “Now I Insist On Narrations Not Being Done Alone”

Shahid Kapoor is reflecting on the performance of his recent films and the lessons that followed. The actor, whose last two releases, Deva and O’ Romeo, struggled at the box office despite strong pre-release buzz, recently admitted that the setbacks have changed the way he now approaches scripts and film choices.

Shahid Kapoor Reveals How Box Office Failures Changed His Script Selection Process

During an interview with The Hollywood Reporter India, Shahid spoke candidly about dealing with failure and how unpredictable the film industry can be, regardless of experience or stardom.

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Opening up about the emotional impact of unsuccessful films, Shahid Kapoor said, “When you work for so long, you expect to get it right more. But that’s not how it works. How many years you’ve worked has nothing to do with it. Films are extremely unpredictable. Being an actor, you don’t have control over how it does. You have some control, but not full control over even what you do as an actor. It’s the director who has to decide the frame and he has to be happy too.”

The actor also revealed that he has now made a major change in the way he listens to scripts. Shahid admitted that he no longer trusts himself to evaluate narrations entirely on his own after the response to Deva and O Romeo.

He said, “One thing I’ve started telling my team now is that maybe I should not be deciding on my scripts. Maybe I know exactly what to do in front of the camera, but maybe I don’t know which films to choose, or my criteria might be driven by a pure artistic instinct, and that might not land. So now, I actually insist on narrations not being done alone. I used to always do them alone, but I’ve changed that. It’s a big change that has happened in my life after these two films. I want three more people in the room now, so that I’m not the only one imagining it a certain way.”

Shahid Kapoor Reveals Why He No Longer Takes Narrations Alone

In 2025, Shahid starred in Deva, an action thriller directed by Rosshan Andrrews and produced by Siddharth Roy Kapur. Despite generating curiosity among audiences, the film received mixed reviews and underperformed commercially. Reports suggested that the film earned around Rs 56 crore worldwide against a reported budget of Rs 50 crore.

Meanwhile, O Romeo, directed by Vishal Bhardwaj, also failed to meet expectations at the box office despite strong anticipation surrounding Shahid’s collaboration with the filmmaker. The romantic action thriller reportedly earned nearly Rs 110 crore worldwide against a reported budget of Rs 150 crore.

On the work front, Shahid Kapoor is currently gearing up for the release of Cocktail 2. Directed by Homi Adajania and written by Tarun Jain and Luv Ranjan, the film also stars Kriti Sanon and Rashmika Mandanna in lead roles. The romantic drama revolves around a love triangle and is scheduled to release in theatres on June 19.

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Also Read: Shahid Kapoor Says ‘It’s Psychotic As Most Stars See Themselves As Brand Or Persona’; Admits, “I’m Scared’

Varsha Tiwari

Varsha Tiwari is a budding content writer passionate about Bollywood, pop culture, and the stories behind the spotlight. She enjoys breaking down trends, celebrity moments, and film narratives into engaging, reader-friendly content. Always curious and observant, she is currently pursuing a Master’s in Communication and Journalism. Outside of writing, she enjoys painting because storytelling doesn’t always need words to make an impact.