Director Manu Anand has opened up about the poor performance performance of his espionage thriller Mr X, starring Arya, Manju Warrier and Athulya Ravi. Released in April 2026, the film received mixed reviews and failed to meet expectations at the box office. Now, weeks after the theatrical release, the director posted a lengthy social media note. Manu Anand accepted responsibility for the film’s performance and also posted in details on the challenges surrounding its release. The filmmaker also shared details on the encouraging response Mr X has been receiving after its digital premiere on OTT.
Mr X Director Manu Opens Up On Film’s Failure
Featuring Arya, R Sarathkumar, Manju Warrier and Athulya Ravi in key roles, the espionage thriller opened to mixed reviews from critics and audiences. According to trade reports, Mr X grossed around Rs 6.83 crore worldwide during its theatrical run. Despite the scale of the project and the strong cast lineup, the film failed to achieve the commercial success.
In a detailed social media note, Manu wrote on the film’s journey and thanked audiences who supported the project both in theatres and after its streaming release. The filmmaker explained that Mr X was conceived as a unique cinematic experience. Manu also wrote that the timing of the film’s release as one of the major challenges. Mr X hit theatres on April 17, 2026, during the Tamil Nadu legislative assembly election period, which he called as an extremely crowded and difficult week for cinema releases.
The director who previously helmed Vishnu Vishal’s FIR, accepted full responsibility for the film’s underperformance and stated that commercial success and audience connection can depend on multiple unpredictable factors. He called the project as an important learning experience that helped him better understand storytelling, audience expectations and the realities of filmmaking.
Mr X’s OTT Response
Despite the box office failure, Manu expressed happiness over the strong response Mr X has been receiving after its digital premiere on Jio Hotstar. The filmmaker revealed that many viewers across India discovered the film through streaming and appreciated its performances, action sequences and storytelling approach.
He said the delayed appreciation for the film made him feel seen as a creator. Manu also thanked the producers, cast and crew for supporting his vision and acknowledged the effort that went into making the film. He wrote that he will continue evolving as a filmmaker and creating stories that are emotionally engaging.