Top 3 Grossers of the Month: Raees and Jolly LLB 2 take top spot

January: The first month of the year doesn’t usually see movies featuring one of the Top 3 stars in the industry. This year was an exception and Shah Rukh Khan, inspite of a major clash with Hrithik Roshan’s Kaabil has managed to top the month of January. Akshay’s Airlift moves down to take the third spot, while Hrithik’s 2012 film Agneepath continues to hold on to the 3rd. Jai Ho exits from the Top 3.

• Raees (131 cr) – Shah Rukh Khan
• Airlift (128 cr) – Akshay Kumar
• Agneepath (122 cr) - Hrithik Roshan

February: The second month of the year is also known to be one of the dullest months of the year. 2017 is unlikely to give the industry a major runaway hit, but Jolly LLB 2 should become the first film in the month of February to cross the 100 crore mark. It’s a big achievement, a barrier has been broken for the first time. Jolly LLB 2 has already taken the top spot by the end of its first week, Gunday and last year’s Neerja move down, while Shah Rukh Khan’s 7-year-old My Name Is Khan moves out.

• Jolly LLB 2 (110 cr expected) – Akshay Kumar
• Gunday (78 cr) - Ranveer Singh and Arjun Kapoor
• Neerja (76 cr) – Sonam Kapoor

March: Kapoor & Sons became the highest grosser of March last year. ‘Badrinath Ki Dulhania’ is the biggest release of March 2017 – will it become the first 100 crore grosser of March? It needs to top March to better the first film in the series ‘Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhania’.

• Kapoor & Sons (75 cr) – Sidharth Malhotra
• Race (63 cr) – Saif Ali Khan
• Queen (62 cr) – Kangana Ranaut

April: FAN was a huge disappointment last year, but still managed to make it to the Top 3. We have big films lined up for release in the ‘IPL month’ next year. Ram Gopal Varma returns with Sarkar 3. The magnum opus ‘Baahubali 2’ should easily top the month, unless it turns out to be a major disappointment.

• Housefull 2 (116 cr) - Akshay Kumar
• 2 States (102 cr) – Arjun Kapoor
• FAN (85 cr) - Shah Rukh Khan

May: Arjun Kapoor’s Half Girlfriend is the biggest release of the month, the best case scenario seems to be the third spot – but anything is possible at the box office if content is accepted by the audience, the biggest example is the May 2015 release Tanu Weds Manu Returns.

• Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani (189 cr) – Ranbir Kapoor
• Tanu Weds Manu Returns (151 cr) – Kangana Ranaut
• Gabbar Is Back (87 cr) – Akshay Kumar

June: Housefull 3 failed last, but we have Toilet: Ek Prem Katha and Raabta in the first half of June. All this before the big-man himself arrives in theatres. After ripping apart all the previous records of July in the last three years, the June films should be history in 4-5 days when Salman Khan’s Tubelight hits theatres.

• Rowdy Rathore (134 cr) – Akshay Kumar
• Ready (121 cr) – Salman Khan
• Holiday (113 cr) – Akshay Kumar

July: Sultan came second last year, falling just 20 crore short of Bajrangi Bhaijaan, but July has been all about Salman Khan. All his last three Eid releases are in the Top 3. The only other actor apart from Aamir Khan (December) to dominate a month. As he leaves July and targets June, he leaves others like Tiger Shroff’s Munna Michael with no chance to make it to the Top 3.

• Bajrangi Bhaijaan (321 cr) – Salman Khan
• Sultan (301 cr) – Salman Khan
• Kick (233 cr) – Salman Khan

August: Shah Rukh Khan returns during a month that has been successful for him. He leads the month of August with his 2013 film ‘Chennai Express’ remaining unchallenged in the last 3 years. Will he shake up the list? The first target will be getting to the 150 crore mark, after which the bigger records in the form of Ek Tha Tiger await.

• Chennai Express (227 cr) - Shahrukh Khan
• Ek Tha Tiger (199 cr) - Salman Khan
• Bodyguard (145 cr) – Salman Khan

September: ‘Judwaa 2’ starring Varun – Jacqueline – Taapsee and Ajay Devgn’s Baadshaho are the big releases in September.

• Dabangg (140 cr)  - Salman Khan
• MS Dhoni (133 cr) – Sushant Singh Rajput
• Barfi! (106 cr) – Ranbir Kapoor

October: Both Diwali releases failed to make it to the Top 3 last year, Ae Dil Hai Mushkil did well, Shivaay was a big disappointment. This year, Robot 2.0 is the big release. It features Rajnikanth and Akshay Kumar in the lead. Will the Hindi version of the film beat the 2011 release Ra One?

• Happy New Year (180 cr) - Shahrukh Khan
• Bang Bang (148 cr) - Hrithik Roshan
• Ra.One (125 cr) – Shahrukh Khan

November: It’s Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Padmavati which is the big release in November this year. The film will have to make it to the Top 2 if it has to recover costs and for that it probably needs to be a better film than ‘Bajirao Mastani’.

• Prem Ratan Dhan Payo (213 cr) – Salman Khan
• Krrish 3 (196 cr) – Hrithik Roshan
• Jab Tak Hai Jaan (120 cr) - Shahrukh Khan

December: It was Aamir vs Aamir and it was Aamir’s own 3 Idiots that moves out of the list and is replaced by Dangal. The man has now delivered the ‘Highest Grosser of the Year’ and ‘Highest Grosser of All-Time’ with every Christmas releases Ghajini-onwards. The critics love his films and he has already won over his audience long ago. Aamir is the man to beat as far as quality of films and lifetime records are concerned.

• Dangal (385 cr) – Aamir Khan
• PK (340 cr) – Aamir Khan
• Dhoom 3 (285 cr) – Aamir Khan

Final Analysis

• January - Shah Rukh Khan
• February - Akshay Kumar
• March - Sidharth Malhotra
• April – Akshay Kumar
• May – Ranbir Kapoor
• June – Akshay Kumar
• July – Salman Khan
• August – Shah Rukh Khan
• September – Salman Khan
• October – Shah Rukh Khan
• November - Salman Khan
• December – Aamir Khan

Article idea and Credit: Saksham Duggal