‘So bad, it’s good’? Don’t go by this logic when watching these potential powerhouses, that were a thorough let-down. Whether sluggish storytelling, weak and limp scripts or sorely lacking in authenticity, these films hit the headlines for all the wrong reasons…

Jab Harry Met Sejal

This Imtiaz Ali rom-com involving a tourist guide in Amsterdam and an exuberant girl who had lost her engagement ring was a disappointment from word go. A weak script combined with sluggish storytelling rendered the film more a Europe travelogue. Beset with cliches and flaws, it was further let down by too many songs, a trite climax and a lead actor who struggled to get into the groove.

Tubelight

Not even Salman Khan could salvage this war drama film written and directed by Kabir Khan. Audiences refused to accept Salman as a gawky yet good-hearted man-child. The film was panned for shamelessly trying to emotionally manipulate viewers. Sorely lacking in plot and convincingness, one critic went so far as to say that the film was rendered unwatchable because of the leading man!

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Sarkar 3

Ram Gopal Varma probably spent more time on his tweets than he did on serving up this rehash of his original Sarkar. Sorely missing a strong storyline, this third instalment of the political drama series failed to impress thanks to a weak script and a poor supporting cast. Amitabh Bachchan in the titular role tried hard but couldn’t succeed in keeping this lacklustre tale about internal conflict and palace politics afloat.

Half Girlfriend

If not much was expected form this romantic drama based on the novel of the same name by Chetan Bhagat, well, it succeeded in falling short of even those lowered hopes. Confused and forced, this Mohit Suri directorial was disappointing through and through. Blame it on the lack of intensity between the lead pair, the gamut of clichés, and awkward brand placements, the film was not even a half way engaging watch.

Raabta

A confused film by Dinesh Vishan, it never established a balance between its crossover love stories. Let down by a cliché-ridden script, heavily borrowing from 300, and a sense of tedium, this passable film failed to engage viewers either in the past nor the present. More forced love than the forceful nature of love, it expectedly failed to connect with audiences.

Munna Michael

A tale of a Michael Jackson-idolising orphan who tutors a hoodlum in dance was an interesting premise. However, this Sabbir Khan creation was a non-starter with a hackneyed story, and purposeless script, served up half-baked. Replete with the usual pattern of song, fight, and then some, it ended up inspiring laughter in some serious scenes. The film served as a clichéd endorsement for Tiger Shroff’s abs, fighting and dancing skills – and not much else.

Haseena Parkar

This biographical crime film by Apoorva Lakhia told the story of the slightly-less-notorious sister of a notorious gangster – and made even that a dull, dreary affair. It failed to offer any real insight into Haseena’s life, emerging as a clipped narration of facts, rather than a story throbbing with life. Lead actress Shraddha tried hard to appear mature and menacing… perhaps she tried too hard. The tottering script was really beyond redemption.

Lucknow Central

An Indian Hindi prison film, directed by Ranjit Tiwari, the plot is inspired by true life events. Is true life so boring?! Let down by a screenplay that was too simple to capture the audience’s imagination, the film failed to engage interest. Ridden by loopholes in the script, the film lacked the sense of urgency necessary for a prison break film. The climax, long and unending, ensured the film stayed behind bars and never managed to break free.

OK Jaanu

This overly faithful, shot for shot remake of Mani Rathnam’s O Kadhal Kanmani, missed out on the charisma of its original lead pair. The happenings appeared dull and dreary, lacking the spark and passion of the original. The lovers sounded juvenile and their confessional moments were more contrived than moving. Staying pretty at all times, this Shaad Ali film failed to touch a chord with its commitment-phobic theme that we have seen zillion times.

Meri Pyaari Bindu

The love story between an author of Hindi pulp fiction and his first crush lacked the passion and depth required for viewers to connect with it. Set in a world of mix tapes and phony nostalgia, this Akshay Roy film lacked the passion and depth required for a love story to move the audience. Stretched and lengthy on account of its wafer-thin plot, the shifting of the narrative between flashback and the present only succeeded in adding to the confusion.

Kaabil

This Sanjay Gupta film disappointed with a loophole-ridden plot. A predictable revenge and retribution saga, it offered nothing new other than its visually impaired main characters. Eventually, it served as a blatant platform to display Hrithik Roshan in all his shades of anger, sentimentality and the rest. It was dubbed a B-grade film with well-known actors, not helped by patchy CG, fake sincerity and an item number.

Raees

Centring around a bootlegger who sets out to improve his community as a promising leader but falls in a political trap, this Rahul Dholakia directorial was uneven, marred by the disjointed screenplay, a messy narrative and a screenplay that stayed passive despite the presence of twists and turns. A predictable climax devoid of excitement and tension is really unforgivable!