Bollywood’s Greatest Comedy Franchises And How Much They Earned
As ‘Welcome To The Jungle’ arrives in theatres, here’s a look at Bollywood’s biggest comedy franchises, their iconic characters and how much they earned at the box office.
Bollywood has always loved a good laugh, but comedy franchises are a different beast altogether. A successful comedy film does not just give the industry a hit; it creates characters, catchphrases, running gags and nostalgia that can be revived years later. That is why films like ‘Hera Pheri’, ‘Welcome’ and ‘Golmaal’, continue to live far beyond their original theatrical runs. The conversation feels especially relevant as ‘Welcome To The Jungle’, the third film in the ‘Welcome’ franchise, arrived in theatres on June 26 (Friday).
Directed by Ahmed Khan, the film brings together a massive ensemble led by Akshay Kumar, with Suniel Shetty, Paresh Rawal, Arshad Warsi, Jackie Shroff, Raveena Tandon, Lara Dutta, Jacqueline Fernandez, Disha Patani, Tusshar Kapoor, Shreyas Talpade, Johnny Lever, Rajpal Yadav, Krushna Abhishek, Kiku Sharda and several others. It is not just another comedy release; it is Bollywood betting once again on the power of a familiar comic brand.
Over the years, some comedy franchises have become box-office goldmines, while others became cult favourites despite modest numbers. Some grew bigger with every installment, some peaked early, and some proved that slapstick, chaos and nostalgia can still bring audiences to theatres.
Here’s a look at Bollywood’s greatest comedy franchises and how much they earned:
1. Welcome Franchise
The ‘Welcome’ franchise began with ‘Welcome’, directed by Anees Bazmee and released on December 21, 2007. The film starred Akshay Kumar, Katrina Kaif, Anil Kapoor, Nana Patekar, Paresh Rawal, Feroz Khan and Mallika Sherawat. While Akshay and Katrina led the romantic track, the film truly became iconic because of Anil Kapoor’s Majnu Bhai and Nana Patekar’s Uday Shetty. Their gangster-comedy chemistry gave Bollywood two of its most loved comic characters. ‘Welcome’ was a box-office hit, collecting around Rs 119 crore worldwide, including Rs 70.13 crore India nett.
The second film, ‘Welcome Back’, released on September 4, 2015, again under Anees Bazmee’s direction. This time, John Abraham and Shruti Haasan joined the franchise, while Anil Kapoor, Nana Patekar and Paresh Rawal returned. The supporting cast included Naseeruddin Shah, Dimple Kapadia, Shiney Ahuja, Ankita Shrivastav and Rajpal Yadav. While the film did not enjoy the same cult love as the first part, it still performed well commercially and collected around Rs 168 crore worldwide, with Rs 96.55 crore India nett.
Now, the reins for the threequel have been handed over to director Ahmed Khan. Released on June 26, ‘Welcome To The Jungle’ boasts an unprecedented ensemble featuring Akshay Kumar, Sanjay Dutt, Suniel Shetty, Arshad Warsi, Disha Patani, and veteran actress Farida Jalal, among many more. Its performance will decide whether ‘Welcome’ remains a nostalgia-driven comedy brand or successfully reinvents itself for a new generation.
2. Housefull Franchise
Loud, unapologetic, and relentlessly commercially successful, the ‘Housefull’ series is the reigning champion of Bollywood comedy box-office numbers. The chaotic universe began with ‘Housefull’, directed by Sajid Khan, on April 30, 2010. The film starred Akshay Kumar, Riteish Deshmukh, Deepika Padukone, Lara Dutta, Arjun Rampal, Jiah Khan, Boman Irani and Chunky Panday. Built around mistaken identities, romantic confusion and over-the-top situations, it collected around Rs 119 crore worldwide. ‘Housefull 2’, released in 2012, made the franchise bigger and louder. Directed again by Sajid Khan, the film starred Akshay Kumar, John Abraham, Riteish Deshmukh, Shreyas Talpade, Asin, Jacqueline Fernandez, Zarine Khan, Shazahn Padamsee, Rishi Kapoor, Randhir Kapoor, Mithun Chakraborty, Boman Irani and Chunky Panday. It collected around Rs 188 crore worldwide. ‘Housefull 3’, released on June 3, 2016, was directed by Sajid-Farhad and starred Akshay Kumar, Abhishek Bachchan, Riteish Deshmukh, Jacqueline Fernandez, Lisa Haydon, Nargis Fakhri, Boman Irani and Jackie Shroff. It earned around Rs 185 crore worldwide.
‘Housefull 4’ stands as a peak earner, bringing in an immense Rs 296 crore at the worldwide box office. It was released on October 25, 2019, and was directed by Farhad Samji. It featured Akshay Kumar, Riteish Deshmukh, Bobby Deol, Kriti Sanon, Pooja Hegde, Kriti Kharbanda, Rana Daggubati, Chunky Panday and Johnny Lever, mixing reincarnation comedy with period fantasy. ‘Housefull 5’, directed by Tarun Mansukhani, released on June 6, 2025, with Akshay Kumar, Riteish Deshmukh, Abhishek Bachchan, Jacqueline Fernandez, Sonam Bajwa, Nargis Fakhri, Sanjay Dutt, Jackie Shroff, Nana Patekar, Fardeen Khan, Chunky Panday, Johnny Lever and Shreyas Talpade. It collected around Rs 288 crore worldwide.
3. Hera Pheri Franchise
The ‘Hera Pheri’ franchise may not have the biggest box-office total among Bollywood comedy franchises, but in terms of cult status, it is almost unbeatable. The first film, ‘Hera Pheri’, released on March 31, 2000, and was directed by Priyadarshan. It starred Akshay Kumar as Raju, Suniel Shetty as Shyam, Paresh Rawal as Baburao Ganpatrao Apte, along with Tabu, Om Puri, Gulshan Grover and Kulbhushan Kharbanda. The film was a remake of the Malayalam classic ‘Ramji Rao Speaking’ and revolved around three struggling men who get caught in a ransom-call mix-up. At the time of release, ‘Hera Pheri’ was not the blockbuster its current reputation may suggest. It was a moderate theatrical success, with Sacnilk listing its worldwide collection at around Rs 21 crore. But the film’s real explosion happened later through television, DVDs, memes and dialogue culture. Baburao, Raju and Shyam became part of everyday Indian humour.
The sequel, ‘Phir Hera Pheri’, released on June 9, 2006, and was directed by Neeraj Vora. Akshay, Suniel and Paresh returned, joined by Bipasha Basu, Rimi Sen, Johnny Lever and Rajpal Yadav. The film turned the “25 din mein paisa double” idea into pop culture history and became a bigger theatrical success than the first part, minting Rs 69.13 crore globally. A third installment, with the original trio, is now in the works.
4. Golmaal Franchise
What began as a relatively grounded adaptation of a Gujarati play has evolved into a sprawling, candy-coloured cinematic universe under Rohit Shetty’s distinct, high-energy vision. The journey started with ‘Golmaal: Fun Unlimited’ on July 14, 2006. The film starred Ajay Devgn, Arshad Warsi, Sharman Joshi, Tusshar Kapoor, Rimi Sen and Paresh Rawal. Built around lies, fake identities and a blind couple’s house, the film collected around Rs 46 crore worldwide. The subsequent releases – ‘Golmaal Returns’ (October 29, 2008) and ‘Golmaal 3’ (November 5, 2010) – rapidly expanded its commercial footprint. However, it was ‘Golmaal Again’, released on October 20, 2017, that absolutely shattered records with a staggering worldwide gross of Rs 308 crore. The film, which added a supernatural twist to the comic chaos, starred Ajay Devgn, Parineeti Chopra, Tabu, Arshad Warsi, Tusshar Kapoor, Shreyas Talpade, Kunal Kemmu, Neil Nitin Mukesh, Prakash Raj and Johnny Lever.
5. Dhamaal Franchise
Leaning heavily into slapstick and treasure-hunt tropes, the ‘Dhamaal’ series found its loyal audience by keeping things fast, loud, and incredibly physical. Directed by Indra Kumar, the franchise kicked off with ‘Dhamaal’ on September 7, 2007, relying on the core quartet of Arshad Warsi, Riteish Deshmukh, Javed Jaffrey, and Aashish Chaudhary, with Sanjay Dutt playing the exasperated foil. The story followed four good-for-nothing friends chasing hidden treasure, and its clean slapstick humour helped it become a semi-hit. It collected around Rs 50.19 crore worldwide. The franchise successfully evolved with ‘Double Dhamaal’ on June 24, 2011. It minted Rs 70 crore globally. But it was the third installment that fundamentally changed its financial standing. ‘Total Dhamaal’, released on February 22, 2019, supercharged the cast by bringing in Ajay Devgn, Anil Kapoor, and Madhuri Dixit. This pivot towards a massive, star-studded family entertainer worked wonders. ‘Total Dhamaal’ exploded with a Rs 150+ crore domestic lifetime collection, pushing the overall franchise domestic earnings comfortably past the Rs 230 crore mark. With ‘Dhamaal 4’ set to release this year, the brand continues to hold value.
6. Munna Bhai Franchise
Blending heartwarming social messaging with street-smart comedy, the ‘Munna Bhai’ films are widely considered modern classics. Directed by Rajkumar Hirani, ‘Munna Bhai M.B.B.S.’ released on December 19, 2003, transforming Sanjay Dutt’s tough-guy image into the lovable local goon, perfectly complemented by Arshad Warsi’s loyal sidekick, Circuit, and Boman Irani’s strict Dr Asthana. The first film was a massive critical and commercial success, grossing Rs 34 crore worldwide. However, the sequel, ‘Lage Raho Munna Bhai’, released on September 1, 2006, took the franchise to an entirely different stratosphere. By introducing the concept of ‘Gandhigiri’, the film became a national phenomenon, grossing a massive Rs 124 crore worldwide. It proved that comedy franchises could successfully tackle profound philosophical themes while breaking box office records. Munna and Circuit remain among the most loved comic duos in Bollywood history, and demand for a third film has never really died down.
7. Bhool Bhulaiyaa Franchise
The ‘Bhool Bhulaiyaa’ franchise sits at the intersection of horror, comedy and psychological drama, but its comic characters and mass appeal have made it one of Bollywood’s biggest comedy-driven franchises. The first film, ‘Bhool Bhulaiyaa’, directed by Priyadarshan, released on October 12, 2007. It starred Akshay Kumar, Vidya Balan, Shiney Ahuja, Ameesha Patel, Paresh Rawal and Rajpal Yadav. The film collected around Rs 82.35 crore worldwide. The franchise returned in a new form with ‘Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2’, directed by Anees Bazmee and released on May 20, 2022. It starred Kartik Aaryan, Kiara Advani, Tabu, Rajpal Yadav and Sanjay Mishra. Coming at a time when Bollywood was struggling at the box office, the film became a major success and collected around Rs 266.88 crore worldwide. Kartik’s Rooh Baba became a new franchise face. ‘Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3’, also directed by Anees Bazmee, released on November 1, 2024, and starred Kartik Aaryan, Vidya Balan, Madhuri Dixit, Triptii Dimri, Rajpal Yadav, Sanjay Mishra and Vijay Raaz. It became the biggest film in the franchise, collecting around Rs 400 crore worldwide.
8. Fukrey Franchise
Rooted deeply in Delhi’s vibrant, localized street culture, the ‘Fukrey’ series stands out for its quirky characters and bizarre, dream-based plotlines. Directed by Mrighdeep Singh Lamba, the franchise began its journey on June 14, 2013. The ensemble cast – featuring Pulkit Samrat, Varun Sharma (whose character 'Choocha' became a pop-culture icon), Manjot Singh, Ali Fazal, Richa Chadha, and Pankaj Tripathi – brought a highly relatable, youthful energy to the screen. The franchise has shown consistent upward mobility at the box office. Following the success of ‘Fukrey Returns’ on December 8, 2017, the series solidified its commercial viability. ‘Fukrey 3’, which released on September 28, 2023, navigated post-pandemic box office challenges to pull off a remarkable worldwide gross of Rs 128.37 crore, proving that the misadventures of these East Delhi slackers still hold immense pulling power.
9. Masti Franchise
Pushing the boundaries of censorship, the ‘Masti’ series pioneered the adult comedy genre in mainstream Bollywood. Directed by Indra Kumar, the franchise began with ‘Masti’ on April 9, 2004. Starring Riteish Deshmukh, Vivek Oberoi, and Aftab Shivdasani as three frustrated husbands looking for extramarital thrills, the film was a major box-office hit that balanced naughty humour with a suspenseful thriller subplot. The franchise hit its absolute commercial peak with the sequel, ‘Grand Masti’, released on September 13, 2013. The film became the first A-rated Bollywood movie to cross the coveted Rs 100 crore mark, stunning the trade industry. However, the third installment, ‘Great Grand Masti’, released on July 15, 2016, faced severe piracy issues after leaking online prior to its release, ultimately flopping with a meagre Rs 20 crore lifetime collection against a Rs 50 crore budget. Despite the final stumble, the franchise’s historical contribution to adult comedies remains unmatched in Indian cinema.
10. Maddock Horror-Comedy Universe
The Maddock Horror-Comedy Universe deserves a place in this list because it changed the scale of comedy-driven genre cinema in Bollywood. The universe began with ‘Stree’, directed by Amar Kaushik and released on August 31, 2018. Starring Rajkummar Rao, Shraddha Kapoor, Pankaj Tripathi, Aparshakti Khurana and Abhishek Banerjee, the film blended small-town humour with folklore horror and became a huge sleeper success. It collected around Rs 180.76 crore worldwide.
The universe expanded with ‘Bhediya’, directed by Amar Kaushik and released in 2022, starring Varun Dhawan, Kriti Sanon, Abhishek Banerjee and Deepak Dobriyal. It collected around Rs 89.97 crore worldwide, but it strengthened the universe-building. In 2024, ‘Munjya’, directed by Aditya Sarpotdar, became a surprise hit with Abhay Verma, Sharvari and Mona Singh, collecting around Rs 132.13 crore worldwide. Then came ‘Stree 2’, directed by Amar Kaushik and released in 2024, with Rajkummar Rao, Shraddha Kapoor, Pankaj Tripathi, Aparshakti Khurana and Abhishek Banerjee returning. It exploded at the box office, collecting around Rs 874.58 crore worldwide and becoming an all-time blockbuster.
The universe continued with ‘Thamma’, directed by Aditya Sarpotdar and released in 2025, starring Ayushmann Khurrana, Rashmika Mandanna, Nawazuddin Siddiqui and Paresh Rawal. It collected around Rs 169.75 crore worldwide. Together, the released films in the Maddock horror-comedy universe have earned well over Rs 1,400 crore worldwide, led overwhelmingly by the ‘Stree’ films.
11. Yamla Pagla Deewana Franchise
Banking heavily on the nostalgic appeal and real-life dynamic of the Deol family, the ‘Yamla Pagla Deewan’a franchise offered a unique, rustic flavour of comedy. Bringing together Dharmendra, Sunny Deol, and Bobby Deol, the first film released on January 14, 2011, under the direction of Samir Karnik. The original film was a major hit, seamlessly blending action with quintessential Punjabi humour, and closed out with a solid Rs 55.28 crore lifetime collection in India. The franchise expanded with ‘Yamla Pagla Deewana 2’ (directed by Sangeeth Sivan) on June 7, 2013, which added another Rs 48 crore globally, and concluded with ‘Yamla Pagla Deewana: Phir Se’ (directed by Navaniat Singh) on August 31, 2018. While the subsequent sequels saw diminishing financial returns, the sheer star power of the Deol trio kept the franchise firmly anchored in the public consciousness.
12. Dream Girl Franchise
The ‘Dream Girl’ franchise is smaller than many names on this list, but commercially, it has been one of the most efficient modern comedy brands. The first film, ‘Dream Girl’, directed by Raaj Shaandilyaa, released on September 13, 2019, and starred Ayushmann Khurrana, Nushrratt Bharuccha, Annu Kapoor, Manjot Singh, Vijay Raaz and Abhishek Banerjee. The film became a super-hit, collecting around Rs 200.80 crore worldwide, including Rs 142.26 crore India nett. Its success came from a unique plot and Ayushmann’s performance. ‘Dream Girl 2’, directed again by Raaj Shaandilyaa, released on August 25, 2023, and starred Ayushmann Khurrana, Ananya Panday, Paresh Rawal, Annu Kapoor, Rajpal Yadav, Vijay Raaz, Abhishek Banerjee, Manjot Singh and Seema Pahwa. The sequel collected around Rs 140.56 crore worldwide. Together, the two Dream Girl films have earned around Rs 341 crore worldwide.
13. Pyaar Ka Punchnama Franchise
Tapping directly into the frustrations of modern urban relationships, the ‘Pyaar Ka Punchnama’ films created a very specific, youth-oriented niche. Directed by Luv Ranjan, the first film released on May 20, 2011. Starring Kartik Aaryan, Nushrratt Bharuccha, and Sunny Singh, among others, the film became famous for Kartik Aaryan's breathless, five-minute monologue, turning it into an unexpected sleeper hit among younger demographics. The sequel, ‘Pyaar Ka Punchnama 2’, released on October 16, 2015, capitalized heavily on the cult following of the original. Made on a modest budget of around Rs 22 crore, the film struck a major chord with audiences, completing an impressive run with a worldwide gross of Rs 88.17 crore. It successfully launched the careers of its lead actors and established Luv Ranjan’s signature brand of battle-of-the-sexes comedy.
14. Kyaa Kool Hain Hum Franchise
Another major adult-comedy franchise from the 2000s was ‘Kyaa Kool Hain Hum’. The first film, directed by Sangeeth Sivan, released on May 6, 2005, and starred Tusshar Kapoor, Riteish Deshmukh, Isha Koppikar, Neha Dhupia, Anupam Kher and Shoma Anand. It became a hit and collected around Rs 22.19 crore worldwide, helping establish Riteish and Tusshar as a comic duo. The sequel, ‘Kyaa Super Kool Hain Hum’, directed by Sachin Yardi, released on July 27, 2012. It starred Tusshar Kapoor, Riteish Deshmukh, Sarah-Jane Dias, Neha Sharma, Anupam Kher and Chunky Panday. The film collected around Rs 65.74 crore worldwide. The third film, ‘Kyaa Kool Hain Hum 3’, released on January 22, 2016, and starred Tusshar Kapoor, Aftab Shivdasani and Mandana Karimi. It collected around Rs 42.72 crore worldwide. While it was never as universally loved as ‘Hera Pheri’ or ‘Golmaal’, it remains important because it helped define Bollywood’s adult-comedy wave alongside ‘Masti’.
As ‘Welcome To The Jungle’ brings another major comedy brand back to theatres, Bollywood is once again testing the power of franchise laughter. The formula is familiar: big cast, bigger chaos and the hope that nostalgia will translate into tickets. But as these franchises prove, the real magic happens only when the jokes land, the characters click and the madness feels worth revisiting.
