Pathaan becomes first Hindi film to make $100 million without China release

All records are meant to be broken and Shah Rukh Khan starter Pathaan is proving it right. Last year, when Yash-starrer KGF: Chapter 2 was being lapped up by the audience, everyone was quick to rule out Bollywood. Now, with the release of Pathaan, not only has Shah Rukh Khan reclaimed the throne of the most popular Indian star but also breathed life into the Hindi film industry. Pathaan has emerged as the first blockbuster of 2023 by making $100 million worldwide without a china release.

And now with its earnings going up to $103.6 million through Monday, it is the first Bollywood movie to reach the $100-million milestone without a China release, 'Deadline' adds. The split sits at Rs 526 gross crore ($64.2 million) in India and $39.4 million from overseas markets through Monday. Already, the Siddharth Anand-directed movie is the biggest Bollywood movie ever globally in the original Hindi language.

This is where, according to 'Deadline', it gets slightly confusing in terms of the records



posted. Aamir Khan-starrers 'Dangal' and 'Secret Superstar', both Bollywood titles, remain ahead of 'Pathaan' worldwide, but that includes more than $100 million each from China, where the movies were dubbed for local audiences. Similarly, 'Bajrangi Bhaijaan', which features Salman Khan, who also appears in 'Pathaan', is still ahead globally, having had a dubbed China release. There is no word yet on a China window for 'Pathaan'.

In India, notes 'Deadline', where box office earnings are measured in both gross and net figures, 'Pathaan' maker Yash Raj Films reports that the film's Rs 438.5 crore net takings on Monday surpassed the net of the Hindi-dubbed version of the Yash-starrer 'KGF 2' (it was originally in the Kannada language). Next ahead of 'Pathaan' on a net basis is S.S. Rajamouli's 'Baahubali 2' with a Rs 510-crore ($61.7 million) lifetime collection in Hindi (the film was originally in Telugu).

Whichever way you slice it, as 'Deadline' puts it, 'Pathaan' is having an incredible ride.