Veteran filmmaker Shekhar Kapoor has shared an amusing yet revealing anecdote from the early days of his career, recalling how a black ticket seller once advised him against making “article films” if he wanted to survive in the film industry. The director took to X to narrate the incident from the release of his debut film Masoom, which later went on to become both a commercial success and a cult classic.
Kapoor revealed that on the first day of Masoom’s release, he visited the main theatre only to find the cinema hall nearly empty, with just two people inside — one of them being himself. At the time, black marketing of tickets was common, with groups buying tickets in bulk to sell them at higher prices. However, with Masoom failing to draw audiences initially, some ticket sellers ended up losing money.
According to Kapoor, a group of disappointed young men confronted him outside the theatre after discovering he was the director. In a moment that stayed with him for decades, one of them took pity on him and remarked that the problem was that he had made an “article film,” advising him to avoid such films if he wanted a career. Kapoor later realised the man meant an “artistic film.”
The director recalled that theatres remained empty through the weekend and into the following week, prompting distributors to stop supporting the film. Kapoor described walking the streets of Mumbai, convinced that his filmmaking career had ended. However, an unexpected turnaround occurred on Thursday when one cinema hall suddenly filled up. By Friday, queues had formed, and over the weekend, distributors scrambled to reclaim theatres they had given up. Masoom was soon declared a hit.
Kapoor reflected on the mystery behind the sudden success, questioning how word of mouth could have worked when so few people initially watched the film. As he prepares to work on Masoom: The Next Generation, he wondered whether history might repeat itself with another so-called “article film.”
Our Thoughts
Shekhar Kapoor’s recollection offers a rare, honest glimpse into the unpredictability of cinema and the emotional resilience required of filmmakers. Masoom’s journey from empty theatres to cult status underlines how audience connection does not always follow opening-day numbers. The anecdote about the black ticket seller is humorous on the surface, but it also reflects the long-standing tension between artistic storytelling and commercial expectations in Indian cinema. Kapoor’s story is a reminder that some films take time to find their audience, and that early rejection does not define lasting impact. As he revisits the world of Masoom decades later, the memory serves as both a caution and an inspiration, highlighting how conviction in one’s creative vision can ultimately outlast market doubts.