Can a good actor automatically become a good director? This question arises as Kunal Kemmu’s recently released film Vibe failed to make an impact at the box office, despite its attempt to blend action, comedy, and drama into an entertaining package.

As a filmmaker, Kunal already displayed his clear understanding of the craft with his acclaimed directorial debut, Madgaon Express. However, his recent stint, Vibe, which he wrote, directed, and produced, is struggling at the box office, and we wonder why.

Well, Kunal is someone who, both behind and in front of the camera, brings sincerity to the project. But as we said, Vibe received decent to good reviews. But in an era where top-tier cinematic content is readily available on streaming platforms, target audiences demand near-perfection from big-screen releases.

Also, Vibe had no buzz ahead of its release, restricting its initial footfalls, and the film’s overall execution and story didn’t really strike a chord with audiences.

So execution does not completely bridge the gap between ambition and audience appeal. Despite being competently made, Vibe has struggled to generate the kind of box-office momentum expected from a theatrical release.

In Bollywood, several notable actors have successfully directed films that became hits.

Riteish Deshmukh: Most recently, Riteish Deshmukh directed and starred as the lead in Raja Shivaji (2026), which received a good response from audiences.

Aamir Khan: known for his unique approach to cinema. He marked his directorial debut with Taare Zameen Par in 2007, which became a hit.

Ajay Devgn: one of Bollywood’s seasoned actors, has directed several feature films, among which Shivaay (2016) and Runway 34 (2022) stand out as commercial and critical successes.

Konkona Sen Sharma & R Madhavan: Stars like Konkona Sen Sharma also succeeded as a director with her critically acclaimed drama A Death in the Gunj (2016), and actor R Madhavan also succeeded greatly in his directorial debut with the biographical drama Rocketry: The Nambi Effect (2022).

Kangana Ranaut: Though highly praised for co-directing Manikarnika (2019), her solo directorial ventures failed to replicate the same commercial impact.

Not just in Bollywood but in South cinema too, several actors have stepped into the director’s shoes and succeeded, like Kamal Haasan, Prithviraj Sukumaran, Prabhu Deva, Dhanush, and others.

Even internationally, several actors have tried directing, where many succeeded, and several failed.

The Verdict

A good actor can be a good director depending on coherent vision, meticulous execution, and script discipline. In contrast, final box-office victory depends entirely on whether that vision resonates organically with the audience, delivering a narrative that feels genuinely fresh or deeply nostalgic.

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