Friday, 03 January 2025
Friday, 03 January 2025
The year 2024 was a year of commercially successful sequels and franchise films in Indian cinema, with Allu Arjun’s Pushpa 2 smashing domestic box office records to end the year with a bang. Only a few films managed to deliver multi-crore earnings this year, and the ones that did were either sequels or part of popular cinematic universes.
Pushpa 2: The Rule (Rs 1,157 crore nett and counting)
Allu Arjun-starrer Pushpa 2: The Rule emerged as the highest-grossing Indian film of all time, breaking records at the box office, and creating new milestones in merely 25 days of its theatrical run so far. Directed by Sukumar, the sequel to the 2021 film Pushpa: The Rise amassed Rs 1,157 crore nett in 25 days in all languages. The Hindi version also became a roaring success, collecting Rs 753.9 crore nett so far. Pushpa 2 revolves around red sandalwood smuggler Pushpa Raj (Allu Arjun) who faces off against cop Bhanwar Singh Sekhawat (Fahadh Faasil) while trying to expand his business.
Stree 2 (Rs 598 crore nett)
Stree 2, directed by Amar Kaushik, emerged as the year’s second biggest hit, collecting Rs 598 crore nett in India. This much-anticipated sequel to Stree (2018) continued the story of Chanderi’s eccentric residents battling a new demon in town: Sarkata. With a perfect blend of horror and comedy, the film kept audiences entertained with its witty script and chilling moments. The stellar performances by Rajkummar Rao, Shraddha Kapoor, Aparshakti Khurrana, Abhishek Banerjee, and Pankaj Tripathi further elevated the entertainment quotient.
Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3 (Rs 260 crore nett)
Director Anees Bazmee returned with another spine-tingling chapter in the beloved horror-comedy franchise Bhool Bhulaiyaa. In this third instalment, Kartik Aaryan reprised his role as the fraud shaman Rooh Baba, this time sharing the screen with Vidya Balan, Madhuri Dixit and Triptii Dimri. Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3 minted Rs 260 crore nett in India, becoming the highest-grossing film in Kartik’s career. The story revolves around a derelict mansion in West Bengal inhabited by the evil spirit Manjulika. The royal family owning the palace requests Rooh Baba’s services to get rid of the malevolent ghost.
Singham Again (Rs 247 crore nett)
Rohit Shetty struck gold with Singham Again, the fifth instalment in his cop universe franchise which earned Rs 247.85 crore nett domestically. Ajay Devgn reprised his iconic role as Bajirao Singham, delivering high-octane action and intense drama. The movie introduced Arjun Kapoor as a formidable antagonist, adding a fresh challenge to Singham’s journey. Known for its gripping car chases and explosive stunts, the film also brought together fan-favourite characters Sooryavanshi (Akshay Kumar) and Simmba (Ranveer Singh) alongside new cops Lady Singham (Deepika Padukone) and ACP Satya (Tiger Shroff).
Munjya (Rs 101.6 crore nett)
Aditya Sarpotdar’s debut feature film Munjya charmed audiences with its heartfelt storytelling and cultural resonance, amassing Rs 101.6 crore nett at the domestic box office. Set in the Konkan region of Maharashtra, Munjya is the fourth addition to Maddock Films’ horror-comedy franchise that includes Stree (2018), Roohi (2021), and Bhediya (2022). The story revolves around Bittu (Abhay Verma), a socially awkward young man in his twenties who has to deal with his overprotective mother and the troublesome presence of Munjya, a mischievous child-demon who haunts him.
