All Time Overseas Records: SRK dominates two decades

In the last 6 months or so, after the record-breaking overseas success of films like Dhoom 3, PK and Bajrangi Bhaijaan, one question that we get asked quite frequently is about Shah Rukh Khan’s overseas dominance. Has Aamir Khan sneaked ahead of Shahrukh to establish himself as the biggest crowd puller overseas? 

First things first, it’s way too early to write off SRK’s overseas dominance. Here’s why:

  • SRK’s last release, Happy New Year, recorded the biggest opening weekend in one of the biggest overseas markets – UAE / GCC. A record that still stands, even after the release of PK and Bajrangi Bhaijaan (which is currently the biggest grosser).
  • My Name Is Khan held the record for the highest opening weekend in UK for nearly 4 years, before Dhoom 3 broke the record.
  • Chennai Express recorded the highest opening in North America, when it released back in 2013.
  • Almost all SRK films that have released in Pakistan, have opened to record-breaking numbers.
  • And finally, even though the Top 3 highest grossers belong to Aamir, Shahrukh still has 9 movies in the Top 20.

When it comes to the all-important current standing in the major overseas territories, films starring Shah Rukh Khan in the lead are still opening to record numbers, but are not sustaining well enough to do well in the long run. So when a film with good content that strikes a chord with the overseas audience, releases, it’ll be an interesting comparison with films like PK and Dhoom 3.

Moving on to all-time records, there was a time when almost all the Top 10 overseas grossers belonged to SRK. The period between the release of Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge in 1995 to My Name Is Khan in 2010, Shah Rukh Khan had no competition.

Check out the list of Hindi films that broke all-time records at the overseas box office.

YearMoviesCollections
1994Hum Aapke Hain Kaun$3.85 million
1995Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge$4.68 million
1998Kuch Kuch Hota Hai$6.31 million
2001Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham$8.6 million
2006Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna$10.80 million
2010My Name Is Khan$23.78 million*
2009-2012Three Idiots$25.45 million*
2013Dhoom 3$31.09 million
2014PK$47.22 million

As is pretty evident from the table above, Shahrukh set all time overseas records and he broke them himself. No other actor in the industry came close during that period. It wasn’t just those films (listed in the table) that did well, but almost every SRK film opened well overseas.

Check out the list

  • Happy New Year (Blockbuster)
  • Chennai Express (Blockbuster)
  • My Name Is Khan (All Time Blockbuster)
  • Jab Tak Hai Jaan (Blockbuster)
  • Don 2 (Blockbuster)
  • Ra One (Blockbuster)
  • Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna (All Time Blockbuster)
  • Om Shanti Om (All Time Blockbuster)
  • Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi (Blockbuster)
  • Veer Zaara (All Time Blockbuster)
  • Don (Blockbuster)
  • Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham (All Time Blockbuster)
  • Devdas (All Time Blockbuster)
  • Kal Ho Na Ho (Blockbuster)
  • Mohabbatein (Blockbuster)
  • Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (All Time Blockbuster)
  • Dil Toh Pagal Hai (Blockbuster)
  • Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (All Time Blockbuster)

Did we miss any? We probably have, because for most part of the 90s and 2000s, Bollywood meant Shah Rukh Khan for the overseas audience.

But that has changed in the last 4-5 years. After the release of 3 Idiots, overseas business of Hindi films has grown by leaps and bounds. A film like PK has collected more than Rs 130 crore from China alone, something that was unthinkable not too long ago. The exponential growth has meant that films featuring Shahrukh have to perform well outside major markets like North America, United Kingdom, UAE and Australia.

Business in countries like China has become crucial for Bollywood films to set all time overseas records and it remains to be seen if SRK films, in the future, can do well in those countries.

Until then, the least we can do is to respect the love that Shahrukh Khan has got for nearly 2 decades. The non-resident Indians and others.

Note: The comments section for this article will be closely monitored. Any silly or nonsensical comments will be deleted. Please stay on topic.

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202 Comments

  • No doubt Shahrukh dominated overseas in past but in present Aamir is dominating as 3 biggest grossers in overseas belongs to him…?

  • Yh thts true…I am a big fan of Salman Bt always respect shahrukh bcz he’s performance in overseas are too good..bt I thin time has changed now..now its time for others …bcz shahrukh is NT doing good films in recent times…

  • That is the reason he called ” King Khan ” King of Romance” Badsha of bollywood ” to be honest no one is near by him in overseas bollywood means is Shahrukh Khan

  • But in india he is Big zero….
    flop actor…. Overseas is not much important…..but still it’s cool…

  • Shahrukh have many blockbuster in overseas but still no 100cr movie in any single country in overseas while Aamir is only bollywood actor to achieve this feat by PK crossing 100cr in China….?

  • it is due to srk worked with yashraj and dharma films otherwise films like swades.josh.guddu.ashoka.chalte chalte and many are disasters in overseas srk is nothing without yashraj and dharma films in overseas

  • •Happy New Year (Blockbuster)
    •Chennai Express (Blockbuster)
    •My Name Is Khan (All Time Blockbuster)
    •Jab Tak Hai Jaan (Blockbuster)
    •Don 2 (Blockbuster)
    •Ra One (Blockbuster)
    •Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna (All Time Blockbuster)
    •Om Shanti Om (All Time Blockbuster)
    •Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi (Blockbuster)
    •Veer Zaara (All Time Blockbuster)
    •Don (Blockbuster)
    •Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham (All Time Blockbuster)
    •Devdas (All Time Blockbuster)
    •Kal Ho Na Ho (Blockbuster)
    •Mohabbatein (Blockbuster)
    •Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (All Time Blockbuster)
    •Dil Toh Pagal Hai (Blockbuster)
    •Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (All Time Blockbuster

  • dilwale and fan will also set records, but all time highest grosser overseas will br raees!

  • Most of them r yrf n karan johar films. Credit to them. Overseas audiences like karans movies. Its not because of sarook stardom as it is made out to be. Once they have stopped working with him he is chasing his own overseas records

    • 2010 born selmon bhoi
      sultan YRF
      ETT YRF
      HAHK madhuri
      MPK rajashree
      KA SRK
      HSSH mohnish bahl
      sultan harshali malhotra ??

  • Another 15 years pass:
    Year 2030
    SRK has no HGOTY since 2007.
    SRK doesn’t top the domestic, Overseas or WW list. All the lists are headed by either Salman or Aamir.

    These are the 10 excuses SRKians will give in year 2031:

    1. So what, SRK has 25 filmfare best actor awards.
    2. SRK is the most consistent actor.
    3. SRK was the most popular in 90s.
    4. SRK has longest running indian film, DDLJ. It has completed 2500 weeks in Maratha Mandir.
    5. SRK is the richest actor in the World.
    6. SRK’s opening day is still unbroken.
    7. MNIK is the greatest classic ever ahead of 3 Idiots, Lagaan or Swades.
    8. SRK has 40 movies in top 100 overseas list.
    9. SRK wins online polls on all movie sites and trends on Twitter regularly.
    10. IMDb is a shit website.

    So, SRK is still better than Aamir and Salman. He is King Khan. He is this, he is that, blah blah blah…

    • 2010 born selmon bhoi
      sultan YRF
      ETT YRF
      HAHK madhuri
      MPK rajashree
      KA SRK
      HSSH mohnish bahl
      sultan harshali malhotra ?

  • Breaking News For Salman Khan’s Fans…
    1.Salman Khan 8th Highest Paid Actor In The World By Forbes.
    2.Bajrangi Bhaijaan To Screen At Busan International Film Festival.
    3. #21HistoricYearsOfHAHK

  • Indicine – That’s why he is the KING today and that’s the reason today he is know as KING OF BOLLYWOOD and the FACE OF BOLLYWOOD..

    Shah Rukh Khan has more hits than whole Bollywood in overseas
    Shah Rukh Khan has more Super hits than whole Bollywood in overseas
    Shah Rukh Khan has more blockbusters than whole Bollywood in overseas
    Shah Rukh Khan has more All time blockbusters than whole Bollywood in overseas.
    Shah Rukh Khan has more Highest grossers than whole Bollywood in overseas.
    Shah Rukh Khan has more HGOTY than whole Bollywood in overseas.
    Shah Rukh Khan has more Industry Hits than whole Bollywood in overseas.
    Shah Rukh Khan has more highest grosser of the decades than whole B’wood in overseas.

    There are countless more records like this.. he is undoubtedly the BIGGEST B’wood Star ever.
    He is the pride for Bollywood as well as for while India. He is the FACE OF Bollywood/India…

    He has some of the biggest record like giving back to back 8 blockbusters in overseas till now. Dilwale will be probably 9th one and 20 + back to back hits in overseas.. this is just AWESOME, person like Shah Rukh Khan deserves only LOVE, and Respect from everyone who has globalized Bollywood and India and has opened overseas market for Bollywood..

    THANK YOU SHAH RUKH KHAN, WE ARE PROUD OF YOU AND WE LOVE YOU TILL THE END!!

  • I still don’t find SRK doing badly… his movies are still doing blockbuster business overseas and his movies in Indian market crosses 100 crore’s quiet easily…. whereas aamirs taalash and salmans jai ho struggled…. if that’s called a bad phase ….. than who wudnt want to be in his shoes….. never the less these three ace khans has brought recognition to the Indian cinema by leaps and bounds….. and I wish all three all the very best and pray that they all succeed as always….. and to all the current generation to do well and make Bollywood bigger than ever…………….

  • Happy New Year, Jab Tak Hai Jaan, Don 2, Ra One, MNIK & Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna failed at Indian Box-Office. And now SRK is history. Amir & Salman are ruling in overseas also.
    Top 3 in Overseas
    1. PK
    2. Dhoom3
    3. Bajrangi Bhaijaan

    Bye SRKKKKKKKKKKKKKK. Now it is your pack up time.

  • Bollywood Has Seen 30 Blockbusters in Overseas Till Date and From That Shah Rukh Khan has 18 Blockbusters Sheer Dominance. WOW

  • Time & time again Shah Rukh Khan proved that, No one has done a better job than him to promote Indian Cinema in overseas. SRK Pride Of India. The pride of bollywod.

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