Box office: Raj Kundra's 'UT 69' faces uphill battle
What's the story
Shilpa Shetty Kundra's husband and businessperson, Raj Kundra, made his acting debut with UT 69 on Friday. This film chronicles Kundra's two-month ordeal as an undertrial in jail as part of a high-profile pornography case. Receiving mixed reviews, UT 69 seems to be facing an uphill battle. It opened at Rs. 10 lakh, but its second-day collections seem to have witnessed a slight rise.
Context
Why does this story matter?
In July 2021, Kundra was arrested on allegations of producing explicit pornographic content, facing charges under the Indian Penal Code (IPC), the Information Technology Act, 2000, and the Indecent Representation of Women (Prohibition) Act. In September 2021, he was granted bail by a Mumbai metropolitan magistrate's court. Kundra's arrest was part of a larger investigation into the production and distribution of pornographic content.
Collections
Day 2 collections: 'UT 69's total earnings at Rs. 30L
Kundra's cinematic debut didn't quite hit the ground running at the box office. On its first day, the film opened with just Rs. 10L. Per Sacnilk, however, early estimates for its second day showed slightly improved earnings of Rs. 20L (nett). The overall Hindi occupancy rate on Saturday was 11.63%, indicating that UT 69 is still struggling to make a significant impact.
About the film
Meet the team behind 'UT 69'
Being billed as a true story, UT 69 is directed by Shahnawaz Ali and portrays Kundra's experiences during his time in Mumbai's Arthur Road Jail. Kundra co-produced and starred in the film, while Ali also contributed to the dialogues and served as the film's editor. The cast of this film includes Mahadev Jadhav, Kumar Saurabh, Errol Rodrigues, and other supporting actors.
Statement
Kundra extensively discussed distressing experiences
During an interview with Pinkvilla, Kundra openly discussed the ordeal he faced during his time in jail. He described a humiliating incident where he was subjected to a public strip search, sharing, "It is humiliating because they make you naked... You feel like you have lost all your dignity." Further, he expressed he was "hurt and disheartened" as he was already facing media scrutiny.