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.
| Year | Movies | Collections |
|---|---|---|
| 1994 | Hum Aapke Hain Kaun | $3.85 million |
| 1995 | Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge | $4.68 million |
| 1998 | Kuch Kuch Hota Hai | $6.31 million |
| 2001 | Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham | $8.6 million |
| 2006 | Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna | $10.80 million |
| 2010 | My Name Is Khan | $23.78 million* |
| 2009-2012 | Three Idiots | $25.45 million* |
| 2013 | Dhoom 3 | $31.09 million |
| 2014 | PK | $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.
You missed Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham (K3G). That was the highest overseas grosser, by a margin, and collected more than Devdas which is on the list.
Most of these movies were made keeping NRIs in mind,most of these films were shot in foreign locations too..
Where are his other films of this period like Phir bhi dil hai Hindustani,Josh,Swades,Asoka,Baadshah,Yes boss,Chak de India,Main hoon Na n many others???
It shows YRF/Dharma with their collaboration with SRK spellbounded the NRIs after DDLJ by making romantic dramas shot exclusively in foreign locations.
Correction: K3G was an all time grosser with $8.9 million.
Once again Srk Sir proved that he is king of oversease film , he is king khan . @ sss where are u srk is roaring in overseas market we need fan like u .
Somewhat agree with @gj007 here,I thought the same when I read the article headline,maybe because even on srk fans’ page ,a comment favouring SRK wasn’t getting much likes coz there are too many Salman fans currently visiting the site.
@gj007 I appreciate your this effort for the first time. But I am still wondering that why did you supported srk’s overrated crap movie raees’s teaser? That was nothing but same as ajay’s outim movie. I am sure it will be a copy of OUTIM. Some times you pretend as aamir fan and defend him, which is good but I am yet to find out who you actually are because you many times praised srk’s craps like raees and fan’s teasers.
It was salman’s HAHK which really opened the overseas business for Hindi movies & changed the business dynamics of the industry once & for all in both India & overseas, the movie’s contribution to Bollywood industry on a whole in this regard is almost incomparable to any other movie, not only it had huge business implications but it also had everlasting cultural implications (which still continues & will remain as long as the Indian traditions & Bollywood stay alive) .
Now coming to srk movies mentioned by indicine:
DDLJ – NRI friendly romantic movie directed & produced by the Chopras themselves.
KKHH – Again a NRI friendly romantic movie directed by k.Jo, produced & distributed by the Dharma productions & yrf.
Devdas- A multistarrer with aish & madhuri (two of the most beautiful actresses to have ever graced bollywood) in the lead, directed by one of the best directors SLB & more importantly it was a remake of one of the most iconic Indian movies ever made in Bollywood history.
Veer zara – again a yrf film directed by the legendary yash chopra.
KANK – again a NRI friendly movie made by k.jo ,produced & distributed by dharma & yrf .
MNIK- once again a very NRI friendly movie based on the highly sensitive 9/11 attacks , directed by k.jo & produced by yrf & rce , reunion of super hit jodi of srk & kajol after a long time.
Another important point to note is that almost all of these srk movies had chart buster hit music.
Movies like HAHK, 3 idiots & pk were not NRI friendly at all but they still did such amazing amount.
So it is crystal clear that srk’s overseas success is mainly because of his NRI friendly scripts, the chopras & k.jo , yrf & dharma, multistarrers & hit music , so if aamir’s recent success is because of hirani & dhoom brand then srk’s success is also because of the above factors .
Srk fans themselves are admitting that HNY was a worst crap movie (Lol very few instances when they admit the truth but it is more because of their dumbness & retardness, a dharam sankat situation for them) & it still did 100 crores overseas what if srk comes up with a content oriented movie ?????
But tell me who is stopping srk from doing content oriented movies instead of doing cheap silly craps like the ra.1s, dons, jthjs, ces, hnys, dilwales, fans & raeeses ??????
had srk fans boycotted his cheap craps & flopped them all instead of making them small hits then srk might have had stop doing such silly craps a long time back , on one hand u want srk to do CDI & swades like movies & on the other hand u make his silly cheap craps into hits , so how is it possible for srk to do movies like cdi or swades ????
Had aamir & salman made NRI friendly romantic & family movies with the chopras/k.jo/yrf/dharma they too would have had more or as much overseas success as srk’s , so srk’s overseas success is not really a big deal and it is the domestic collections that determine the movies eventual status & not the overseas collections, almost all of the srk movies in this list are BBs/ATBBs overseas but many of them are disputed hits/superhits in India , so what’s the use of these overseas collections then???
Anyway it doesn’t matter who is in the ‘top 10 in the class’ what matters most is who is the ‘TOPPER of the class’ and it is aamir here by some distance!
those idiots who say that srk worked with yrf and dharma, that’s why he delivered biggest grossers.
seriously? you mean to say that it’s srk who took yash ji, aditya or karan to direct his films. fuck no. they chose srk over salman and aamir because they knew he’s the best. so ffs, don’t blame srk if amir and salman didn’t get to work with them.
agree with GJ007- The timing of this article compels us to doubt the intentions of indicine.They could have posted the same article after a month or two. Tweeples rightly call it ‘SRK fan club’
@abanfarooqui & @gj007, there wasn’t any ‘timing’ as such. While retrieving overseas collections yesterday for the Top 20 article, we decided to write this. Because up until 2008-2009, almost every film that collected well overseas starred Shahrukh Khan.
@ rew 1 Raees trailer is crap what rubbish it is one of the best trailer appreciate you .
@babaji ka thullu research before u comment anything and my earlier comment. Ce, HNY, devdas, oso, Mhn, don2, RNBDJ, etc are not NRI friendly.
For ur information paheli (3rd highest grosser), swades (4th highest grosser) pbdhh (second highest grosser), hths (3rd highest grosser), chalte chalte (2nd highest grosser) how many more example u need. If u don’t respect please ignore.
@gj007 – you’re hater that’s why can’t accept the universal facts and this article is about truth, they didn’t lie or said fake things that you are calling it PR’s work but if it hurted you badly then that’s your problem & headache that your idols are far behind & smaller than KING KHAN… btw they called him a “shorty Khan” bec he just proved it after 3i that he is a “shorty Khan” without big brands as Taalash failed to cross 100 cr and 200 cr gross WW and failed to cross even SRK’s DTPH in overseas it shows he is a ShortyKhan , and he has a tiny stardom when Taalash wom was not that negative like Ra.one’s but look at it, it cross 100cr in india, 200cr W-W. From India, to overseas to W-W everywhere ra.one did way more than Taalash despite of the worst wom, it shows stardom, it shows who is still a KING and it shows who is still a tiny actor.. if foreign locations would matter ‘ a lot’ or could make a movie hit now Salman & other actors would have most no. of 100 cr films (including Marigold) in overseas and Devdas would not big such a big hit in overseas so making excuses will never help , neither you nor your local bhojpuri idols.. and when it comes to PR, everyone knows Salman and Aamir’s names come first here, they have the best PR who are 24 hours working for them and trying to fool people that how Golden hearted people they are when in reality…… but SRK doesn’t need such things like PR.. his work, his name, his stardom is enough..
@Heropanti – DDLJ did 5 times more business than HAHK in overseas.
SRK might have dominated in overseas for some time but in India he never given highest grosser any time and for last five Years he is struggling in overseas also so this overrated non actor is on last stages of his manipulative media hyped career . live in present people have shOrt memories
there should be a reply option under a comment. no? maybe you want to avoid fan wars…
come on! it’ll be fun. :)
the main reason for overseas are foreign location movies nt rural movies.since srk is known to overseas by film to film so it is bound to collect more in overseas.and srk promote the movies unlyk others.yashraj n karan movies usually do well in overseas bcoz they are known to overseas audience.lyk now every amir movie since 2006 do well in overseas.bcoz he is nt active before 2006-1996.
Nice Article SRK still the Benchmark in Overseas .Last Shahrukh Khan film Which had universal appeal was ChakdeIndia.He need s something Really good.Aamir had 3Idiots,Pk, Salman HAs Dabangg,BB. SRK has to do Something Brilliant to Beat Records in Overseas.
But I sense lot of negativity being Spreaded About SRK .EveryBody is Against Him.May Be He is That Successfull or Bloody Famous.SRK should stop doing some shit films.Last 5 years CE was good and others not upto the Mark.
If foreign locations and NRI appealing movies do wonders at the BO then majority of Romcoms should work in the overseas which hasn’t been the case.Jaan-e-mann is a perfect example.It had everything in it to cater to the NRI audience.Same with Mujhse Dosti Karogi or Kambakth Ishq(which starred famous Hollywood celebs) but none of them could make an impact.Even before k3g Srk’s movies used to do great business in overseas.What 3I did to Aamir DDLJ did to Srk and his upcoming releases which are expected to be high on content clicks with the audiences there would be no stopping him
@indicine I agree that srk is the biggest star overseas.Just thought the timing is not correct.
for all those who are saying srk’s success due to yrf nd dharma should remember that ku6ku6 hota hai was karan’s debut movie.
ddlj was too aditya’s debut..
where they established directors or producers at that time ??lol..
according to haters’ logic , ek tha tiger nd dhoom3 successes are coz of yrf not coz of sallu nd aamir..
lol..
poor haters.
what will u say now ??
yrf’s tashan with akki got flopped.
why ??
lol..
shame on u guys ..same can be said for sallu also..due to kabir khan he got succeded..as per your logics not mine..
difference being – i m not interested in this illogical talks..
njy..
with farah khan , akki can have a below average tees mar khan , with that same farah , srk can hit 108 cr in first weekend..
lol..
get some sense..
njy..
@thullu I would suggest u to do some research before talking baseless.. Foreign location,NRI appealing.kuch bhi lol..
Some intellectual says srk movies work because of foreign location
Why not dulhan hum le jayenge, janam samza Karo, Dil Chahta hai, muzse dosti karoge, knph, MPKK, no entry, lucky turn big hits. What about srk movies which shoots only in India like KKHH, DTPH, mohbbate, oso, devdas, Mhn, rbdj, chennai express, veerzara which were entirely shoots in India.
Asoka 1.8 mn> Dil Chahta hai 1.3 mn
Paheli 3.2 > mangal panday2.9,, MPKK 2.4, no entry 2.2 mn
Dilse 2.3 mn > lagaan 2.2
Srk’s offbeat small movies were bigger grosser than Amir salman overseas location, entertaining multistarrer movies. There is no need to bring devdas, k3g, khnh, mohbbate veer Zara etc.
Do we remember who was the 5th man to walk on Moon?
Do we know who was the 4th person to climb the MT. Everest?
Do we know who was 13th Indian to go into space?
Nobody cares who is 5th, 6th or 10th.
Everyone cares and knows about who the 1st person is.
In this case, Aamir is 1st, 2nd, 3rd. He will remain on top for quite a long time.
These No.12 or No.14 doesn’t matter.
@indicine you dont mention that srk heavily promotes his movies in overseas unlyk others.compare the screen size ,wide release of srk movies due to yashraj and karan movies they find 700-800 screens in overseas unlyk other get hardly 300.even imran khan movie i hate luv story n mbkd do well in overseas unlyk his other movies.and finaly nt two decade just one decade 1997-2007.after that aamir is top for 8 years.the top 20 list ,4 are amir bcoz he actually done 4 commercial movies in that 8 year.
Some idiots (not like 3 Idiots) are crediting SRK’s success to YRF and Dharma …
LOL
ETT was also a YRF movie which failed to beat 11 year old K3G record …
LOL
HNY not a YRF/Dharma movie , but still Blockbuster
So is OSO , CE , Ra One , Don 2 etc etc
Grow up idiots !!!
Srk gave 20blockbuster including 5ATBB in oversease n after CDI every srk starer film got blockbuster status in oversease shows the dominance of king khan. Srk upcomming films pridiction in oversease
1 Dilwale $30mm(if wom is like CE)
2 Fan $45mm(if wom is like MNIK)
3 Raees $35mm
@Bade Bhai Amir 4films in the list thanks to Raju Hirani n Dhoom brand othewise none of film of amir starer film cross $10mm mark
@ Babaji ka Lallu :
Great excuse !
Foreign locations , romantic dramas , YRF/Dharma , NRI friendly , etc etc
Hope you find such great excuses to hide the failures of ‘undisputed 60 cr king’ Gobar Kumar …
@ Indicine :
Also make an article on Highest Worldwide Grossers
It’s time to bow down to the KING !!!