Bollywood’s Independence Day Weekend: Box Office Analysis

The Independence Day has historically been a huge weekend for the Hindi film industry. The most iconic film of all time – Ramesh Sippy’s Sholay – released on this very day exactly 41 years ago. Even after nearly 4 decades, the lead hero of the film, the evergreen Amitabh Bachchan remains one of the busiest actors in the industry.

In the last 10 years, 12 Hindi films (small films were not taken into consideration) have released during the weekend. Both the biggest grosser and the lowest grosser of the Independence Day weekend belong to Salman Khan. It goes to show the phenomenal rise of the superstar in the last few years. Back then, not only did a film featuring a one-film-old Ranbir Kapoor release on the same day as a Salman starrer, but it held the upper hand and quite easily won the box office clash.

8 year later, Salman is the undisputed biggest star in the industry and even a top star like Shah Rukh Khan had to postpone his keenly-awaited film ‘Raees’ to let ‘Sultan’ take centre stage.

Rustom will be Akshay Kumar’s first success during the Independence Day weekend, his last two films during the same period – Once Upon A Time In Mumbaai Dobaara and Brothers – were huge failures at the ticket window.

Chak De India is probably the best and most acclaimed film to release during the ‘freedom weekend’ in the last 10 years. The film did not take a huge start at the box office, but went on to be a blockbuster with incredible word-of-mouth. For a lot of people, it could be the career-best film of Shah Rukh Khan.

Top 5 Independence Day Grossers:

  • Ek Tha Tiger – 199.6 crore
  • Singham Returns – 140.2 crore
  • Rustom – Still running, will take the third film
  • Brothers – 82.7 crore
  • Chak De India – 67.7 crore (would’ve more than tripled if it released today)
MovieIndiaOverseasVerdictStar
Chak De India (2007)67.7 cr26 crBlockbusterSRK
Bachna Ae Haseeno (2008)38.1 cr18 crAbv AverageRanbir, Deepika
God Tussi Great Ho (2008)13.5 cr5 crFlopSalman, Priyanka
Kaminey (2009)43.1 cr20 crSemi HitShahid, Priyanka
Aarakshan (2010)43.8 cr12 crFlopAmitabh, Saif, Deepika
Peepli Live (2011)30.2 cr10 crHitNo stars
Ek Tha Tiger (2012)199.6 cr68 crBlockbusterSalman, Katrina
OUATIMD (2013)60.8 cr12 crFlopAkshay, Sonakshi
Singham Returns (2014)140.2 cr27 crSuper HitAjay, Kareena
Brothers (2015)82.7 cr26 crFlopAkshay, Sidharth
Mohenjo Daro (2016)60 cr*-Flop*Hrithik, Pooja
Rustom (2016)110 cr*-Hit*Akshay, Ileana
Advertisements

93 Comments

  • Ek tha tiger had beaten the record of 3 idiots and became the ATHG but Chor YRF did not let it happen as they dint want to increase the Profitsl share of Salman khan.. They were about to do same with Sultan by not letting it reach 300 Cr but this Time whole Trade was watching…

    MEGASTAR SALMAN KHAN

  • After Rustom, Akshay is going to be very choosy and it will show in his choices of movies…SALUTE TO THE ONE MAN INDUSTRY…He doesn’t need a top Actress, Top Director, a Top Producer or EDX Holiday to make his movies BLOCKBUSTER.

  • Hrithik Said : when a movie needs to promote so everyone should promote that movie its good.

    Now I Said : when a huge budget movie like MJD needs money so everyone should go to watch that movie whether that movie is a crap.

  • I think you should delist ‘Ek Tha Tiger’ from this group as it was primarily an Eid release. The honours for being the highest I-day release should go to ‘Singham Returns’.

  • @Rangil wats ur mental age?? Ett trade figure was 186cr but yrf figure was 199.6cr and u r accusing yrf of underreporting?? U mean to say 186cr>>199cr

    Typical bhaitard

  • lol at the comment on rangil singh.then fan also crossed 100crores.dhoom 3 also crossed 300crores but yrf kam dikhaya hoga so profit less dena padey.jab dimag nahi hai kyu use karte ho.right now salman khan is the biggest superstar in the industry and his choice of films has also improved so many gloryhunters good for nothing people will now claim they are salman khan fans from birth.lol.

  • Chak de India
    Week 1 : 19 cr
    Lifetime : 68 cr

    Lifetime > 3*Week 1

    So you can imagine how incredible the word-of-mouth was . Now when films earn about 60% of their totals from multiplexes , CDI would have easily made 4 times of what it made in 2007 .

  • Best Eid Film : Chennai Express
    Best Diwali Film : DDLJ
    Best X-Mas Film : Darr

    Best Republic Day Film : Karan Arjun
    Best Independence Day Film : Chak de India
    Best Non-Holiday Film : Devdas

    #KING

  • Have to say being a HR fan I am very very disappointed with the collection.
    When MohenJoDaro was announced it had the potential to do 25cr on day-1 itself but post release of the trailer possibly everything has gone wrong.
    Having said that HR has the talent and perseverance to make strong come back.
    I request HR and SRK to figure out a way to avoid Raees and Kaabil clash as both needs these films to work and in no way it will work with clash..
    Both are very good friends I am sure they will find a way!

  • /* 8 year later, Salman is the undisputed biggest star in the industry and even a top star like Shah Rukh Khan had to postpone his keenly-awaited film ‘Raees’ to let ‘Sultan’ take centre stage. */

    Can’t explain in words how much the sentence makes me happy.

  • Mangal Pandey released during this weekend in 2005 took a bumper opening, probably the best that year. If its prices were under check then it would have been a hit.

  • Chake de India was absolutely brilliant film, the screenplay was too Damn gripping, srk’s performance was too too fantastic, also, CDI is the only film which has been given 5 out of 5 stars by indicine.
    We hope Srk’s next film with imtiaz Ali comes on independence weekend next year … to add more , among independence releases CDI remains the best film ever …!!!!!

  • The problem with srk, we see is that he doesn’t book holidays unless his films goes on the floors … I would love to see him announce the release date of imtiaz ali’s next .

  • @Indicine kindly mention that ETT was a Eid release too…It got so many big holidays…Released on 15th August so earned lots of money on day 1…18th-19th august was eid…Else there was no possibility to score 199 cr.

  • @Real Chuha :

    Of course that sentence must make u happy coz u know if SRK clashed with LOLtan then how badly Miyan Bhai would’ve beat up Bhojpuri Bhai …!

  • Very good joke. Salman is the undisputed biggest star in the indystry? As if the one who has given 4 ATHG and back to back ATBBS doesn’t exist. Anyways I don’t trust this fake wannabe site as there will be no surprise if tomorrow they will call even harman baweja as the undisputed biggest star in the industry. This inauthentic site should never be trusted. Only Aamir khan is the biggest undisputed megastar in the industry. Period. No one can come close to him.

  • indicine never miss any opportunity to praise SRK, How can u say that Chak De would have earned more than triple if it would have released now? CDI would have earned 170cr max according to me

  • @The Phenom.
    Best Xmas film – Darr (3 idiots & TZP rightly deserves the spot)
    Best Eid Film – Chennai Express (Dabangg, BB and Sultan any day better than CE)
    couldn’t stop laughing.
    I am surprised why you didn’t said Best Xmas movie – Dilwale.
    Hats off man. Really you have lost it.

    BTW the biggest success on Independence day goes to Singham Returns as ETT backed by eid holidays after first 5 day. Even the first weekend belong to SR with 74cr in 3 days. Best film without any doubt is CDI on this period. SRK best performance without any doubt.

  • WOW Thanks Indicine for mentioning Chak De India

    That climax scene in CDI where India scores the goal camera zooms into SRK’s face. That scene totally stole the show. SRK neither needed dialogues nor muscles. Expression plus the waving flag plus Teeja Song EPIC

  • strongly feel Independence day is the biggest holiday of the year and is usually followed by partial holidays like Rakshabandhan and Janmashtmi. Usuall monsoon fury also decreases in the second part of August.

    Big Khan film with universal appeal on 15th August will outperform same film releasing on day after Diwali which is believed to be the biggest day of the year for film business!

Leave a Comment