Utkarsh Sharma reacted to Vanavas’s box office failure with Nana Patekar: ‘Allu Arjun’s Pushpa 2 and Varun Dhawan’s child John’s screen war affected us a lot’.

Ukrash Sharma, son of filmmaker Anil Sharma, made his debut as a prominent actor in Gadar 2 after acting as a child actor at Mool Gadar. He later re -worked with his father on the 2024 family drama Vanwas, including Nana Patekar and Simrat Kaur. Despite a mixed review film, it was struggling at the box office.
Release timing and screen competition
In conversation with the screen, Utkarsh discussed why Vanvaas did not perform well. He shared that the main reason for Vanavas’s poor box office performance was its release timing. He felt that the film had overched Pushpa 2 And Baby John, which led to a fierce competition for the screen. Despite some increase in the first week, limited screen availability affected the film’s ability. Working at 90–95% capacity, there was demand, but acute screen competition obstructed its success. He hopes that future releases avoid such issues, because India does not have enough screens for many big films simultaneously.OTT success and dramatic reactions
While Vanwas received a new audience on streaming, Utrash admitted that he would have preferred to see the audience’s reactions in theaters. He mentioned that the film performed well on the OTT and received a positive review, as there is no competition for the screen. However, he feels more excited than the theater audience’s energy. While Oat was beneficial for Vanwa, he remembers the direct response from the audience, saying that it is like working from home, in which it is not fun to experience the audience’s reactions live.

Why did they choose Vanwa
Utkarsh shared why he agreed to be a part of Vanavas. He said that he saw it as a rare opportunity to be a part of the family film made for the big screen, as such films are no longer being made for theaters. He felt that the emotional and family-oriented subject of the film made it a project to take it.
Continuous increase as an actor
He further stated that as an actor, it is a continuous process of learning and development. He admitted that over time, he becomes more aware of his strength and weaknesses, realizing areas where he could improve. This is an opportunity to challenge itself and discover new aspects of your craft.

Upcoming Projects: Comedy and Action
When asked about his upcoming projects, Ukrash Sharma revealed that he is currently working on two very different films-one full comedy, while the other is a pure action film. He shared that dealing with these contrasting styles is challenging, but with each project there is also a great learning experience for him.