Ajay Devgn's 'Maidaan', directed by Amit Sharma, did not meet expectations at the box office but is gaining traction after its OTT release. Based on footballer Syed Abdul Rahim, the film earned Rs 200 crore but only recovered Rs 68 crore from theatres.

Director Amit Sharma recently addressed the film's lukewarm reception in an interview with DNA. He revealed that despite the initial box office disappointment, Maidaan found a dedicated audience on OTT platforms, where it received an overwhelming response from viewers.

In Maidaan, Ajay Devgn played football coach, Syed Abdul Rahim, under whose leadership the Indian football team won the Asian Games in 1951 and 1962.

Maidaan director Amit Sharma talks about the film's Best Asian Film win in the Amsterdam and its lasting legacy beyond the box office

Amit Sharma recently opened up about the box-failure of the Ajay Devgn starrer sports-drama and said that people can’t be forced to go to theatres to watch a film. The film released earlier in April and clashed at the box-office with Akshay Kumar’s Bade Miyan Chote Miyan.

Maidaan hit the big screens on April 10 coinciding with the Eid holiday. The Ajay Devgn starrer was released alongside Bade Miyan Chote Miyan and failed to impress the audience at the box office. In its 6-week theatrical run,