In recent years, politically and ideologically charged films have delivered both historic successes and surprising failures. Filmmakers such as Vivek Ranjan Agnihotri and Vipul Amrutlal Shah once redefined box office dynamics with The Kashmir Files and The Kerala Story. Made on modest budgets of around ₹15–20 crore, these films went on to collect over ₹300 crore each while also igniting nationwide political, social, and intellectual debates. However, their successors—The Bengal Files and The Kerala Story 2—failed to recreate the same impact, proving to be major box office disappointments.

The phenomenon can be understood through the metaphor of a “wooden pot”—something that works once but cannot be reused. The extraordinary success of The Kashmir Files and the first The Kerala Story created a trend where controversy itself became a marketing tool. Support and opposition both amplified public curiosity, drawing audiences to theatres. However, repetition diluted this effect. Audiences began to perceive follow-up films as predictable, one-sided, or ideologically overexposed, leading to diminishing returns.

The Bengal Files, reportedly made on a budget of around ₹50 crore, failed to recover even half its cost. Despite Agnihotri’s claims of extensive research into Bengal’s culture and history, the film did not resonate with the same audience that had elevated The Kashmir Files to blockbuster status. Similarly, The Kerala Story 2, made on a budget of approximately ₹25–30 crore, collected only around ₹11 crore in its first three days. From the start, the film was surrounded by controversy, including the exit of original director Sudipto Sen, CBFC-mandated cuts, legal challenges in the Kerala High Court, and criticism over factual inconsistencies. By the time it reached cinemas, public curiosity had already waned.

A key reason behind these failures is audience fatigue. Issues such as religious conversion, love jihad, and ideological polarization—once provocative—have become over-discussed in news debates and social media. Unlike The Kashmir Files, which addressed the deeply emotional and nationally resonant issue of Kashmiri Pandits and Pakistan-sponsored terrorism, later films struggled to connect their narratives with a broader national sentiment. Attempts to draw historical parallels or revive familiar controversies felt forced, reducing emotional engagement.

This shift is also evident in the fate of other ideologically driven films such as Indu Sarkar, The Accidental Prime Minister, Article 370, and JNU, which failed to sustain audience interest. Even Kangana Ranaut’s Emergency did not receive the support expected from her ideological base, highlighting that political alignment alone no longer guarantees box office success.

At the same time, audience preferences have evolved. Recent films like Chhaava, Animal, and Dhurandhar have shifted focus back to scale, storytelling, performance, and cinematic spectacle. These films blend entertainment with strong narratives rather than relying solely on messaging. As a result, they have raised the bar for audience expectations.

Ultimately, the failure of The Kerala Story 2 and The Bengal Files suggests that controversy is not a renewable resource. While politically charged themes can spark interest once, audiences eventually demand freshness, depth, and cinematic merit. Without these elements, even the loudest debates cannot prevent a film from becoming a “use-and-throw” product at the box office.