Published By: Sayan Paul

Ranveer Singh's Birthday: The Fall of a Box Office Powerhouse - What's Plaguing Him?

Except for Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani, all of Ranveer Singh’s recent films as a lead have struggled to make a mark at the box office.

There was a time when Ranveer Singh was absolutely unstoppable. Right after 'Band Baaja Baaraat', he became an overnight sensation and was instantly termed as the next big thing in Bollywood. And true to the prediction, he soared. With back-to-back hits and especially his powerhouse run with Sanjay Leela Bhansali in films like 'Ram-Leela', 'Bajirao Mastani', and 'Padmaavat', Ranveer was a force to be reckoned with by the late 2010s. His name alone could pull crowds, and there was even chatter that his market value had outshone Ranbir Kapoor’s. However, after the high of ‘Gully Boy', the magic began to go away. Films like '83', 'Jayeshbhai Jordaar', 'Cirkus', and even 'Befikre' couldn’t deliver. One after another, they failed - some critically, some commercially, some both. Apart from 'Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani', nothing really hit the mark. Today, producers aren’t as confident with him, big-banner projects are slipping away, and the tag of a “bankable star” no longer stays with him. 

So what actually went wrong? On Ranveer Singh’s birthday, let’s understand the fall of a box office powerhouse. 

When the Off-Screen Persona Starts to Clash

Ranveer has always been larger than life, and not just on screen, but everywhere else too. His style is bold with loud prints, neon suits, pearls, skirts, and wild dances at weddings. But somewhere along the way, this off-screen flamboyance started overshadowing his characters. See, personal style and behaviour are obviously individual choices, but when you're a public figure, those choices can end up shaping how your work is perceived. Audiences have no problem seeing him as the loud Rocky in 'Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani'. But ask them to see him as a simple, small-town man in 'Jayeshbhai Jordaar', or the calm and genius Kapil Dev in '83', and it becomes harder. Even when he doesn’t mean to, the off-screen Ranveer somehow finds his way into his on-screen roles. You can't really separate the character from the star if the star never steps out of the spotlight. And that’s exactly what’s been happening.

Too Much of a Good Thing? Overexposure Wears Thin

During the early days of his career, every Ranveer Singh appearance felt special. But since the mid-2010s, he has been everywhere, including advertisements, award shows, social media, reality TV, and fashion weeks. While this helped him become a pop culture icon, it also left little room for mystery. The very thing that once made him magnetic (his unpredictability) started to feel predictable. Even his personal life became part of the performance. His frequent references to being 'Deepika’s husband' began to feel overused, especially at a time when fans wanted to celebrate him as a standalone star. No disrespect to his genuine affection, but if it was a PR move, it didn’t quite land. We reject patriarchy, but that doesn’t mean we need to flip the script just for the sake of it. We wouldn’t reduce Deepika to being 'Ranveer Singh’s wife', so why box Ranveer into a similar label? Both are powerful individuals with their own identities, and they deserve to be seen as such. We get it, you love her. But why should it hamper your own identity? 

Post-Pandemic Choices: Out of Step with What the Audience Wanted

When cinemas reopened after the pandemic, Indian audiences wanted escapism. Films like 'Pushpa', 'RRR', and 'KGF' gave audiences the thrill that they were craving at the time. Ranveer, meanwhile, went the other way. He gave us heartfelt stories ('83'), socially relevant satire ('Jayeshbhai Jordaar'), and old-school slapstick ('Cirkus'). Maybe the intention was good, but the timing wasn't. 

(Credit: Dadasaheb Phalke International Film Festival)

With the exception of 'Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahaani', his recent films failed to strike a chord with viewers, and the box office outcomes made that clear.

When PR and Marketing Backfire

The aggressive promotions for '83', for instance, raised expectations sky-high. So when it didn’t perform, the fall felt even harder. The overhype created a mismatch between what the film actually offered and what audiences were primed to expect. And at a time when authenticity is king, that’s a huge problem. Something similar happened with 'Cirkus', which was marketed as Rohit Shetty’s big comedy comeback, meant to pull families into theatres during the holidays. Ranveer’s dual role, the circus setting, and the slapstick style were pushed hard in promotional campaigns, but the humor felt outdated. The marketing leaned heavily on Ranveer’s energy to carry the buzz, without showing substance. When the film finally hit screens, both critics and audiences panned it, and its failure was all the more glaring given the noisy lead-up. Even 'Jayeshbhai Jordaar', which had an important social message, suffered from muddled marketing. The film tried to promote itself as both a quirky comedy and a meaningful social drama, but the tone never landed properly. The campaign leaned into Ranveer’s eccentric charm, but didn’t clearly communicate what the film was about or why it mattered. It left audiences confused rather than curious, and that confusion reflected in the weak box office numbers.

(Credit: Ranveer Singh)

The marketing for all these films focused more on Ranveer’s star power and flamboyant persona than on the actual content. But in a post-pandemic era where audiences are far more selective, that approach doesn't work anymore. People want compelling stories. And if the marketing doesn’t reflect that, the disconnect turns into rejection.

PR and marketing are about trust. Somewhere along the line, Ranveer’s recent films lost that trust by promising more than they delivered.

Unprofessionalism and Industry's Fear of Big Bets

Ranveer’s decision to walk out of 'Rakshas' due to creative differences raised eyebrows. So did the delayed momentum on 'Shaktimaan' and 'Don 3'. When big films stop moving forward, insiders start talking, and not always kindly. Studios, especially in today’s high-stakes market, want reliability. And lately, Ranveer’s name hasn’t come with that guarantee. As newer pan-India stars like Allu Arjun gain ground, Hindi stars have to fight harder to prove their value. And in that race, Ranveer definitely has hit a roadblock.

(Credit: Excel Movies)

The Weight of Expectation

Let’s not forget that Ranveer set the bar incredibly high with his earlier films. 'Padmaavat raked' in over Rs 550 crore worldwide. 'Bajirao Mastani' crossed over Rs 350 crore. 'Gully Boy' was India’s Oscar entry. ‘Lootera’ was a critical success. But once you’ve flown that high, anything less feels like a crash. Even a moderately successful film starts looking like a flop when the yardstick is 'Padmaavat'. And when a few underwhelming films line up, the talks start: “Is he done?”

(Credit: Prime Video India)

It’s not fair, but it’s the reality of stardom.

So, Can the Powerhouse Rise Again?

Absolutely. Ranveer’s slump is real but definitely not irreversible. His acting chops are still as sharp. His charisma still lights up the screen. What he needs now is the right story, the right director, and a little bit of reinvention.

Aditya Dhar’s 'Dhurandhar' could be that film for sure. But he’ll need to recalibrate, letting the work speak louder than the image. He'll need to remind the audience why they fell in love with him in the first place.

Happy Birthday, Ranveer!