Bollywood is no longer just about the Hindi film market in the Hindi speaking northern states. For long, the largest film industry of India is pushing the boundaries and raking in the moolahs from overseas or markets beyond Mumbai and the northern hinterlands, which were once the conventional bases of their success in the 80s and 90s.
The latest trend is releasing the Hindi blockbusters in the south Indian languages like Tamil or Telugu, which are making them huge successes down south. Some of the highest grossers of recent times have been Bollywood films dubbed in southern languages and shown there. No big star of Mumbai today can ignore the possibility of the south market. Even films not doing too well in the Hindi belt are making up the losses with their astounding popularity in south India. Here are some of the biggest Bollywood money spinners in recent times in the south.
5. Brahmastra
On the bottom of the list comes Brahmastra: Part 1 – Shiva. Directed by Ayan Mukerji, the Ranbir Kapoor-Alia Bhatt starrer love story reportedly made Rs 57-crore at the southern box office.
4. Padmavat
Bettering Brahmastra was Padmavat. Essayed by Deepika Padukone and Ranveer Singh, the 2018 flick was directed by the veritable Sanjay Leela Bhansali. The film grossed Rs 62 crore in the south.
3. Dangal
The Amir Khan acted and produced sports biographical film Dangal was a critically acclaimed Bollywood movie and makes to the list on the third position. The film reportedly made Rs 75-crore in the four Dravidian states. The 2016 film was directed by Nitesh Tiwari.
2. Pathaan
Shah Rukh Khan has been a southern favourite and this came out best in the recent Bollywood blockbuster Pathaan, which also had Deepika Padukone as his co-star. The film did great in the Hindi and overseas markets and didn’t disappoint in the south too, raking in a reported profit of Rs 110 core, which is around 20% of its net domestic collections.
1. Jawan
Both Deepika and Shah Rukh make it twice to the toppers’ list. After Pathaan, SRK’s very next release Jawan is doing equally well in the southern markets. The reason for its big southern success is being attributed to the fact that the director Atlee (Arun Kumar) belongs to the Tamil film industry. Most of the star cast, including the heroine Nayanthara is from the south, making the action thriller a north south masala combi. The film is still running packed houses and has so far raked in over Rs 116 crore in the south.
