Swades child artiste Smit Sheth reveals why the Shah Rukh Khan movie didn't do well at the box office: It was way ahead of its time

Smit Sheth, a former child artist most known for his role as Chiku in the Shah Rukh Khan movie Swades, discusses his feelings on the movie's demise. The 2004 film directed by Ashutosh Govariker is regarded as one of the best SRK films. However, the film received excellent reviews from critics but did poorly at the box office upon its release.


During a conversation with DNA India, Smit shared his thoughts behind Swades' failure and explained why the movie tanked. Smit believes that Swades was 'way ahead of its time'. He said, "I think the movie was way ahead of its time. If it had been released 5-6 years later, it would be surely a blockbuster."


Swades was released in theaters on December 17, 2004. As the film approaches its 20th anniversary, Smit is hoping for a re-release of the film at the theater. "This year Swades completes 20 years. I really want them to re-release the film. Hopefully, it will get its due at the box office as well. As a fan, I will definitely go and watch it in a cinema hall. I am pretty sure that many fans would love to revisit the classic again," he stated.


Smit recalled the memories from ‘Swades’ and revealed that during his introduction scene, he injured his ankle, and then SRK gave him a foot massage for some time. He said, "In the scene, where I taking Mohan through a house, the other kids hopped into his van. At that time, I slipped and hurt my ankle. There was a sewer, so he went down to his knees, near the swear and he started giving me a foot massage. He also assured me that they will resume shooting after he feels alright."


Smit also recalled a fond memory and a sweet gesture by Shah Rukh, who brought him gifts from NASA. He shared, "That year Koi Mil Gaya was released, and I was fond of Cosmos. So I shared my likeness to the film and my interest in the stars. So when he went to NASA, he brought certain charts of space shuttles, and planets, which were not easily available anywhere. I still have those in my home."


Apart from Swades, Smit has worked in movies and series, including ‘Har Dil Jo Pyaar Karega’, ‘Baghban’, and ‘Vishnu Puran’.