Top 5 Highest Grossing Movies since 2000 – Analysis

Update 11th March 2013: Added Top 5 grossers of 2012. Article first published Oct 13 last year.

This article is an analysis of the Top 5 Highest grossing movies of each year since the start of the millennium. The analysis of the Top 5 highest grossing movies, I believe, gives a fair idea about the type of genres which have normally worked in Hindi cinema. It also tells us which actors have been the most successful over a long stretch of time. This is, NOT, in anyway, an analysis of the stardom of any actor.

2000:

• Kaho Na Pyaar Hai (Action/Romance) – 38 Cr
• Mohabbatein (Family Drama/Romance) – 33.25 Cr
• Mission Kashmir (Drama) – 22.25 Cr
• Josh (Drama/Action) – 20 Cr
• Refugee (Drama) – 18.75 Cr
• Average – 26.45 Cr

The new millennium started with the emergence of a new Superstar called Hrithik Roshan. His debut movie went on to become one of the biggest hits of debuting actor. Mission Kashmir came with high expectations & a high budget, & that is mainly why it failed to light up the BO. But it still managed to break into the Top 5 for the year which shows the sorry state of Bollywood at that time. Abhishek Bachchan made a decent debut with Refugee, & his father made a comeback with a big hit like Mohabbatein. SRK managed to hold on to his box office standing despite the hurricane called HR.

2001:

• Gadar (Romance/Action) – 75.5 Cr
• Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham (Family Drama) – 47 Cr
• Lagaan (Sports/Historical Drama) – 29 Cr
• Indian (Action) – 21 Cr
• Jodi No.1 (Comedy/Family Drama) – 17.5 Cr
• Average – 38 Cr (+11.55 Cr from previous year)

Sunny Deol broke hand pumps in Gadar, & the film itself managed to break many box office records. One of the biggest hits of all time – on par with Sholay, DDLJ, HAHK and 3 Idiots. The effects of the film spilled on to the decent numbers for Indian. K3G took one of the biggest openings of all time. And, Lagaan went on to become one of the landmark films of India after it got nominated for an Oscar.

2002:

• Devdas (Drama/Romance) – 32.5Cr
• Raaz (Horror) – 22Cr
• Kaante (Action/Drama) – 19.5Cr
• Aankhen (Action/Drama) – 15.25Cr
• Humraaz (Thriller) – 14.5Cr
• Average – 20.75Cr (-17.25Cr)

Despite it’s budget, Devdas was touted to be a big hit, and SRK had the highest earning movie of the year once again. Raaz was arguably a bigger hit because of it’s low budget. Amitabh Bachchan had 2 movies. The best year for him since the 2000s started.

2003:

• Koi Mil Gaya (Children’s/Family Drama)- 42.5Cr
• Kal Ho Na Ho (Romance/Family Drama) – 35Cr
• The Hero (Action/Thriller) – 24.5Cr
• Baghban (Family Drama)- 22.5Cr
• Munnabhai MBBS (Comedy/Drama)- 21.25Cr
• Average – 29.15Cr (+8.4Cr)

Hrithik Roshan made a big comeback, laying to rest the doubts of him being a one film wonder. SRK managed to have a movie in the upper rungs of the Top Hits of that year once again. Sanjay Dutt made a comeback with the surprise hit Munnabhai MBBS which gave rise to the now iconic characters of Munna & Circuit.

2004:

• Veer Zaara (Romance/Drama) – 40Cr
• Main Hoon Naa (Action/Comedy/Family Drama) – 33Cr
• Mujhse Shaadi Karogi (Comedy) – 29.5Cr
• Dhoom (Action) – 29Cr
• Khakee (Action) – 25Cr
• Average – 31.3Cr (+2.15Cr)

SRK was a part of the 2 biggest hits of the year and strongly reaffirmed his position as the numero uno Superstar of Bollywood. Salman showed his popularity by not dropping from the list. Dhoom was the surprise hit of the year with the ‘cool factor’ working in it’s favour.

2005:

• No Entry (Comedy) – 43Cr
• Bunty aur Babli (Comedy/Drama) – 35.75Cr
• Mangal Pandey (Drama) – 28.25Cr
• Garam Masala (Comedy) – 27Cr
• Maine Pyaar Kyun Kiya (Comedy) – 27Cr
• Average – 32.2Cr (+0.9Cr)

2005 was clearly the year of the Comedy genre. 4 of the Top 5 films had comedic elements in them. Salman had a resurgence of sorts with 2 films in the Top 5 for the first time. Aamir’s ambitious project, Mangal Pandey disappointed fans. This was the first year SRK did not have any movie in the Top 5 with his small budget movie Paheli failing to make a mark.

2006:

• Dhoom 2 (Action) – 80.25Cr
• Krrish (Action/Superhero) – 69.25cr
• Lage Raho Munnabhai (Comedy/Family Drama)- 71Cr
• Fanaa (Romance/Action) – 52Cr
• Don (Action) – 51Cr
• Average – 64.7Cr (+32.5Cr)

Hrithik’s year once again. He made a big comeback once again after 3 years. It was also the start of the re-emergence of the third Khan, Aamir Khan who had 2 big hits in Fanaa and Rang De Basanti (RDB missed out on the Top 5 by earning 1Cr less than Don). Munnabhai made a big comeback with LRM. This was the year the multiplex movement started to gain momentum, signaling the doubling of the average.

2007:

• Om Shanti Om (Family Drama/Comedy/Romance)- 79.42Cr
• Welcome (Comedy) – 70.75Cr
• Partner (Comedy) – 61.19Cr
• Chak De India (Sports/Drama)- 67.69Cr
• Taare Zameen Par (Family Drama)- 62.48Cr
• Average – 68.31Cr (+3.61Cr)

Even though, 2007 is known as the year of Akshay Kumar, it is quite surprising to see that Welcome was his only film to make the Top 5. SRK had 2 Blockbusters, & held on to his position as the biggest superstar for the umpteenth year. Salman made a place in the Top 5 list once again. His regular appearance in the list proved that flop movies never really changed his popularity among the masses.

2008:

• Ghajini (Action) – 114.67Cr
• Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi (Romance) – 86.78Cr
• Singh Is Kinng (Comedy) – 68.48Cr
• Race (Thriller/Action) – 61.68Cr
• Jodhaa Akbar (Historical Drama)- 59.03Cr
• Average – 78.13Cr (+9.82Cr)

Aamir Khan stole the show with his 2nd Christmas release on the trot, Ghajini. Race went on to become a huge hit. SRK made his place, as usual.

2009:

• 3 Idiots (Family Drama/Comedy) – 202.57Cr
• Love Aaj Kal (Romance) – 66.89Cr
• Wanted (Action) – 60.69Cr
• Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani (Comedy/Romance) – 62.94Cr
• De Dana Dan (Comedy) – 48.3Cr
• Average – 88.28Cr (+10.15Cr)

3 Idiots changed the rules of the game. Backed by a huge marketing spree, 3 Idiots became the highest earning Hindi movie of all time. Aamir Khan became the top Superstar in the absence of any SRK movie to challenge that feat. Aamir’s movies made the top of the list 2 years in a row. Ranbir made his first appearance, & Salmania started to gain pace with the super success of Wanted.

2010:

• Dabangg (Action/Comedy) – 140.1 Cr
• Golmaal 3 (Comedy) – 107.56Cr
• Raajneeti (Thriller/Drama) – 92.93Cr
• Housefull (Comedy) – 72.07Cr
• My Name Is Khan (Family Drama) – 72.74Cr
• Average – 97.08Cr (+8.8Cr)

Salman’s 2nd Eid release on the trot, Dabangg, went to become a huge hit with the masses & the classes alike. Salman storm had just begun. Golmaal 3 & Housefull showed the popularity of comedy among the people. SRK made the list with MNIK.

2011:

• Bodyguard (Comedy/Action/Romance)- 141Cr
• Ready (Comedy) – 121Cr
• Ra.One (Action/Superhero)- 115Cr
• Don 2 (Action) – 110Cr
• Singham (Action) – 99.5Cr
• Average – 117.2Cr (+20.12Cr)

Salman’s year. Salmania hit a new high. The 2 highest grossing movies of the year were by Salman Khan. Salman matched Aamir when two of his movies became the top movie of the year, 2 years in a row. SRK tried to do something different, & couldn’t match up the success of Salman. SRK did show Bollywood how to truly market a film by promoting his ambitious production Ra.One to the hilt. Since Don & upto Don 2, every film in which SRK had a leading role in the time period for evaluation, went on to the reach the Top 5 of that year’s Box office list. Undoubtedly, a record.

2012:

• Ek Tha Tiger (Action/Romance) – 186 cr
• Dabangg 2 (Action/Comedy) – 150 cr
• Rowdy Rathore (Action/Comedy) – 132 cr
• Agneepath (Action/Drama) – 120 cr
• Housefull 2 (Comedy) – 113 cr

Salman’s year once again. Top 2 highest grossers of 2012 belonged to him. Second year that Shahrukh Khan didn’t feature in the Top 5 since 2000, as his only release Jab Tak Hai Jaan was the 7th biggest grosser of the year. With Talaash collecting approx 90 crores, Aamir Khan missed out too. Hrithik Roshan returned to Top 5 for the first time since Jodha Akbar in 2008. Overall, 2012 belonged to Salman and Akshay Kumar.

Genres:

Action – 24
Romance – 14
Drama – 28
Comedy – 26
Thriller – 4
Superhero – 2
Horror – 1
Sports – 2

Actors:

SRK – 14
Salman – 11
Aamir – 6
Hrithik – 9
Akshay – 12
Saif – 3
Ranbir – 2
Amitabh – 3
Ajay – 5
Abhishek – 4
Sanjay Dutt – 5
Sunny Deol – 3

The most popular genres are action, drama & comedy while the most popular actors are SRK, Salman, Akshay, Hrithik & Aamir. Interestingly, there has been a year-on-year growth in the cumulative business, the top 5 movies of the year have made (except for 2002). With the current trend, it won’t be long before 200 crores will be achieved numerous times every year.

Note – All figures are from BOI.

Article by Zayden