Virat Kohli watches Priyadarshan's flop movie before his cricket matches to relax, director reveals

Cricket and movies often cross paths in unexpected ways, and filmmaker Priyadarshan recently shared one such story involving Indian cricket star Virat Kohli. The director revealed that Kohli and some of his teammates watch his comedy film Dhol before matches to relax, even though the movie was not successful in theatres when it first released.

Priyadarshan spoke about this during a conversation with Pinkvilla, where he also reflected on his long career and how his views on comedy filmmaking have changed over the years.

During the interview, the director said he now feels happy when people enjoy the film, especially after hearing that cricketers watch it before big games.


“I loved both these films, but they didn’t work in theatres. But thanks to OTT, people are finally enjoying these films now. When I made Dhol, I really thought the film would do well. Now I am very happy when I see people like Virat Kohli and others say they watch Dhol before their cricket matches to relax. They even quote the dialogues from the movie to each other.”

Although Kohli himself has not publicly confirmed watching the movie before matches, the director said the feedback made him feel satisfied because the film is one of his personal favourites.

The comedy, which starred actors like Tusshar Kapoor, Sharman Joshi and Kunal Khemu, struggled at the box office when it released in 2007. Over time, however, it gained popularity on television and streaming platforms, eventually building a loyal audience.

Director says he may stop making comedy films

In the same interview with Pinkvilla, Priyadarshan admitted that he is no longer very enthusiastic about making comedy films, despite being known for some of Bollywood’s most memorable comedies.

“Frankly speaking, I like to make serious films now. I don’t like making comedies anymore; I am forced to now. I think I have run out of ideas. I am finished. I don’t want to repeat what I did in the past. I will make one more comedy film, and I am done.”

For decades, the filmmaker has been associated with comedy hits such as Hera Pheri, Hungama and Hulchul, which still remain popular among audiences.

Why Dhol struggled in theatres

Speaking earlier to Mashable India, Priyadarshan also shared his thoughts on why Dhol did not succeed commercially when it was released.

“Something I hate about Bollywood films is that, at least during that period, when you are trying something without a big star, it won’t get the appreciation it should. It’s only later that they would. That disappoints you. Dhol is now a cult movie.”

Interestingly, the director pointed out that another film of his, Malamaal Weekly, had the opposite fate. Despite not featuring major stars, it performed strongly at the box office.

Priyadarshan on working with familiar actors

Priyadarshan explained that he often works with the same actors in comedy because comic timing is difficult to master and he prefers performers whose style he understands. He said he is familiar with the body language and timing of actors like Akshay Kumar, Paresh Rawal, and Rajpal Yadav, adding that strong timing also comes naturally to Govinda and, to some extent, Shah Rukh Khan.

He noted that directing becomes easier when actors already have good comic instincts. The filmmaker also praised Akshaye Khanna for handling both serious and comic roles effectively, recalling his performances in Hulchul and Hungama, and added that both Akshay Kumar and Akshaye Khanna have been lucky for him.