Shekhar Kapur, the acclaimed director of films like 'Mr. India' and 'Elizabeth', recently shared a story about the near-failure of his directorial debut, 'Masoom'. In a social media post on February 9, 2026, Kapur reminisced about the film's initial release and the unexpected advice he received from a black market ticket seller.

Kapur recounted the disheartening experience of attending the first show of 'Masoom' and finding the theater almost empty. "On the first day of release, I went to the main theatre … and there were only two people in the whole cinema hall.. and one of them was me!" Kapur wrote. At the time, black marketing of cinema tickets was common, with young men buying tickets in bulk to resell them at higher prices. However, 'Masoom's' poor opening meant that even these black marketers were left counting their losses.

After the dismal first show, Kapur was approached by a group of these young men who, upon learning he was the director, expressed their frustration at losing money on the film. Kapur recalls one of them offering him a piece of advice: "Sir .. the problem is you've made an 'article' film' .. if you want a career, don't do that". Kapur was initially perplexed by the term "article film" but soon realized that the man meant "artistic film". The black marketeer was warning him against making artistic endeavors if he wanted a successful career in filmmaking.

The situation worsened as the days passed, with theaters remaining largely empty throughout the weekend and into the following week. Distributors, facing continuous low turnout, decided to pull 'Masoom' from theaters. Kapur remembered feeling dejected and believing that his filmmaking dreams were over. "I walked the streets of Mumbai and thought about what I was going to do next in my life, for making films was certainly no longer an option," he stated.

However, in a surprising turn of events, 'Masoom' experienced a sudden surge in popularity on the Thursday of that week. A friend called Kapur, requesting tickets, and he initially dismissed it as a joke. To his astonishment, one theater filled up that day, and by Friday, lines of moviegoers had formed. Distributors scrambled to get the film back on screens, and 'Masoom' was declared a hit.

Kapur remains puzzled by the film's sudden turnaround. While many attribute it to "word of mouth," he questions how that could be when so few people had initially seen the film. 'Masoom' went on to win several Filmfare Awards, including Best Film (Critics), Best Director, and Best Actor. Today, it is considered a cult classic.

Kapur's reflection on the early struggles of 'Masoom' comes as he prepares for "Masoom: The Next Generation," a spiritual sequel to the original film. The new film will star Shabana Azmi and Naseeruddin Shah from the original cast, along with Manoj Bajpayee and Nithya Menen, and Kapur's daughter Kaveri. The film will explore themes of home, belonging, and identity. As he embarks on this new chapter, Kapur wonders if the sequel will also be considered an "article film".