Made on a small budget of Rs 15 crore, this film initially performed well domestically, grossing Rs 64 crore in India alone. Can you guess this film’s name?
Determining a film’s true success is a question that has long sparked debate among fans and analysts alike. Some argue that a film’s impact is best measured by its lasting cultural influence, while others point to box office earnings as the ultimate metric. However, even when considering earnings, there’s no clear-cut answer. One perspective focuses on raw revenue, while another emphasizes profitability. By the latter standard, the most successful Indian film is one that not only made a substantial profit but also earned an incredible 6000% return. Can you guess the name of this film.
India’s Most Profitable Film
Released in 2017, Secret Superstar, directed by Advait Chandan and produced by Aamir Khan, holds the title of India’s most profitable film. Made on a modest budget of ₹15 crore, the film initially performed well domestically, grossing ₹64 crore in India alone. When added to its overseas earnings of ₹65 crore, it was already a major success. But the real game-changer came when the film was released in China. There, it earned a staggering $124 million, taking its global total to over ₹900 crore—more than 60 times its original investment. This broke the previous record held by Jai Santoshi Maa, which earned 20 times its budget.
How Secret Superstar Outperformed Blockbusters
Secret Superstar earned significantly more than some of the biggest blockbusters of the time. Depending on the source, its global earnings range from ₹905 crore to ₹966 crore, surpassing the box office hauls of films like Stree 2 (₹857 crore), PK (₹769 crore), Gadar 2 (₹691 crore), and Baahubali: The Beginning (₹617 crore). What makes this achievement even more remarkable is that Secret Superstar was made on a fraction of the budget of these films and didn’t rely on major star power. While Aamir Khan made a cameo, the spotlight was firmly on 16-year-old Zaira Wasim.
The film’s success particularly in China can be attributed to the rising popularity of both Aamir and Zaira following the success of Dangal. Moreover, the film’s theme of teenage dreams and aspirations struck a chord with Chinese audiences. As of November 2024, Secret Superstar remains the 10th highest-grossing Indian film of all time, proving that profitability can often tell a more impressive story than just box office earnings.
