Filmmaker Kabir Khan may be known for blockbusters like Bajrangi Bhaijaan and Ek Tha Tiger, but it was 83, his ambitious cricket drama, that he poured his soul into. Now, his wife and television personality Mini Mathur has revealed how the underperformance of 83 at the box office deeply impacted the director, leaving him emotionally shattered. In a conversation with Vickey Lalwani on his YouTube channel, Mini opened up about the toll the film’s failure took on Kabir. “If there is a film that came the closest to his craft and the film in which he poured his entire heart, it was 83. According to him, 83 was perfection,” she said. Starring Ranveer Singh as Kapil Dev, 83 was based on India’s historic 1983 Cricket World Cup win. Though the film received critical acclaim, its release coincided with a surge in COVID-19 cases, resulting in theater shutdowns just a day after its release. Mini shared, “The film releases and the theatres shut exactly a day out. No box office. I haven’t… in our 27 years of marriage, if there’s been one thing where I’ve seen Kabir dip out of his positivity, it was this. It broke his heart. I don’t recall a darker week or 10 days for us.” She described Kabir as someone who’s usually the optimist in their relationship. “He was not like himself. It was like he was trapped physically in a room and mentally unable to break free. This was his magnum opus, his love child, and it didn’t get the light of day it deserved,” she added. Despite its commercial struggle, 83 garnered immense love from the industry. “From Mr. Bachchan to Mr. Kamal Haasan, the greats called him personally. I’ve never seen him receive so much love from within the industry,” she noted. Mini also mentioned how the film continues to resonate with audiences. “Till today, I get messages saying toddlers watch 83 repeatedly. People appreciate the detailing — from costumes to props. That was the darkest chapter of his filmmaking life.”