The 100 crore benchmark was actually set much earlier in the 1980s by an actor who wasn’t one of the conventional superstars like Amitabh Bachchan or Rishi Kapoor.
Back in the day, a movie entering the Rs 100-crore club was a monumental achievement. This level of box office collection indicated that the film had surpassed all expectations and generated massive revenue. While many might believe that the concept of the Rs 100-crore club gained prominence with blockbusters like Ghajini, Om Shanti Om, or 3 Idiots, the benchmark was actually set much earlier in the 1980s by an actor who wasn’t one of the conventional superstars like Amitabh Bachchan or Rishi Kapoor.
We’re talking about none other than Mithun Chakraborty, famously known as the iconic “Disco Dancer.” Babbar Subhash’s musical drama Disco Dancer became the first Indian film to gross Rs 100 crore at the box office. However, it isn’t officially considered part of the 100 Crore Club, as the bulk of its earnings came from overseas. This film was a major turning point in Mithun’s career, showcasing him as a charismatic music star. Disco Dancer earned Rs 6.4 crore in India, a significant amount at the time.
Surprisingly, Disco Dancer was an enormous success in the Soviet Union, where it became a global blockbuster. When it was released in Russia in 1984, two years after its India release, it sold over 12 crore tickets, making it the biggest hit in the country. As a result, the film earned 60 million roubles (around Rs 94.28 crore), bringing its global total to Rs 100.68 crore.
With such a massive figure, Mithun Chakraborty’s Disco Dancer became the highest-grossing Indian film of its time and the first to hit the Rs 100-crore mark. The movie also starred Rajesh Khanna and Kim, along with Om Puri, Gita Siddharth, and Karan Razdan in supporting roles.
Disco Dancer paved the way for Indian films to cross the ₹100-crore threshold, thanks to its strong overseas collections. Later, in 1994, Hum Aapke Hain Koun set new records with a Rs 128-crore collection, followed by Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge, which achieved Rs 103 crore the following year.
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