Three Rs 200 Crore Films For Suriya, Four Hits For Deepika! Indian Stars’ Dream Box-Office Years
From Suriya’s three Rs 200 crore grossers to Deepika Padukone’s four-film 2013, revisit Indian stars’ extraordinary box-office years.
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One successful film can change an actor’s fortunes. Three or four in the same year can change the entire conversation around a career. Suddenly, every new release arrives with extra expectations, every casting announcement looks more exciting, and audiences seem happy to follow the star from one genre to another. Indian cinema has witnessed several such golden spells, powered by everything from family entertainers and romantic comedies to gritty thrillers and historical spectacles. The most interesting part? These extraordinary years haven’t always belonged to the biggest-budget films – or to actors playing it safe.
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Suriya’s latest milestone brings those remarkable runs back into focus. With ‘Scene’ crossing Rs 200 crore worldwide in its first week, he has three films above that mark in 2026. From his current surge to Deepika Padukone’s packed 2013, Shah Rukh Khan’s successful 2023 and Akshay Kumar’s four-film 2019, here are some particularly memorable years.
1. Suriya - 2026: Three Films, Three 200 Crore Milestones
Suriya has given his fans plenty to celebrate this year. RJ Balaji’s ‘Karuppu’, opposite Trisha, opened on May 15 and grossed approximately Rs 310 crore worldwide. Venky Atluri’s ‘Vishwanath & Sons’, featuring Mamitha Baiju, Raveena Tandon and Radikaa Sarathkumar, followed on August 14, collecting around Rs 209.46 crore. That already made for an impressive double act.
Then came Jithu Madhavan’s ‘Scene’ on November 6. Co-starring Nazriya Nazim and Naslen, the action comedy had reached Rs 200.60 crore worldwide after seven days, according to Sacnilk figures reported on November 13. Its eccentric policeman gave Suriya a very different playground from the year’s earlier films – and supplied the third collection milestone.
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2. Akshay Kumar - 2019: Four Releases That Kept The Turnstiles Busy
Akshay’s 2019 calendar could almost double as a tour of mainstream Hindi cinema. Anurag Singh’s ‘Kesari’, released on March 21 with Parineeti Chopra, earned Rs 207.09 crore worldwide. Jagan Shakti’s ‘Mission Mangal’, released on August 15, brought together Vidya Balan, Taapsee Pannu, Sonakshi Sinha and other members of its ensemble, reaching Rs 290.59 crore.
The celebrations continued with Farhad Samji’s reincarnation comedy ‘Housefull 4’, featuring Riteish Deshmukh and Bobby Deol, which arrived on October 25 and grossed Rs 280.27 crore. Raj Mehta’s ‘Good Newwz’, released on December 27 with Kareena Kapoor Khan, Diljit Dosanjh and Kiara Advani, finished at Rs 318.57 crore, according to Bollywood Hungama. Four films above Rs 200 crore worldwide, moving from battlefield heroism to space science to two very different comedies: that is quite a year’s work.
3. Deepika Padukone - 2013: Four Films, One Career-Changing Year
Deepika practically kept a seat reserved in cinemas throughout 2013. Abbas-Mustan’s ‘Race 2’, released on January 25 with Saif Ali Khan and John Abraham, grossed Rs 173.36 crore worldwide. Ayan Mukerji’s ‘Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani’, opposite Ranbir Kapoor, arrived on May 31 and earned Rs 319.60 crore. Her shy Naina became an enduring audience favourite, before Rohit Shetty’s ‘Chennai Express’ sent her in an entirely different direction as Meenamma. The Shah Rukh Khan co-starrer opened on August 9 and collected Rs 424.54 crore.
Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s ‘Goliyon Ki Raasleela Ram-Leela’, opposite Ranveer Singh, completed the quartet on November 15, earning Rs 207.33 crore.
4. Shah Rukh Khan - 2023: A Comeback With Two Thousand-Crore Films
SRK returned to leading-man releases in 2023 with the sort of numbers that make a comeback feel like an event. Siddharth Anand’s ‘Pathaan’, released on January 25 with Deepika Padukone and John Abraham, grossed Rs 1050.30 crore worldwide. Atlee’s ‘Jawan’, released on September 7 with Nayanthara and Vijay Sethupathi, went further at Rs 1148.32 crore, according to Bollywood Hungama.
Rajkumar Hirani’s ‘Dunki’, featuring Taapsee Pannu and Vicky Kaushal, arrived on December 21 and added Rs 470.60 crore. Its smaller scale and more emotional register made for a change after two action spectacles. However, the year should not be labelled three blockbusters: Bollywood Hungama rated ‘Dunki’ average, while Sacnilk called it a hit. The clear collection record is two Rs 1000 crore films and three releases comfortably above Rs 200 crore worldwide.
5. Mamitha Baiju - 2026: A Remarkable Run Across Two Languages
Mamitha’s 2026 has provided a striking reminder that major collection milestones aren’t reserved for established male superstars. She appeared in H. Vinoth’s Vijay-led ‘Jana Nayagan’, also featuring Pooja Hegde and Bobby Deol, released on July 23. Reports put its worldwide gross at approximately Rs 325 crore. Venky Atluri’s ‘Vishwanath & Sons’, opposite Suriya, followed on August 14, with a reported Rs 209.46 crore worldwide.
Her Malayalam release ‘Bethlehem Kudumba Unit’, directed by Girish AD and co-starring Nivin Pauly, opened on August 21. Sacnilk’s later tally put its worldwide gross at Rs 331.10 crore. That gave Mamitha three Rs 200 crore-plus films within one calendar year across Tamil and Malayalam cinema.
6. Salman Khan - 1999: Comedy, Romance And A Family Reunion
Salman’s three major successes in 1999 offered very different versions of his screen appeal. David Dhawan’s ‘Biwi No.1’, released on May 28, teamed him with Karisma Kapoor and Sushmita Sen and grossed Rs 41.64 crore worldwide. Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s ‘Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam’, released on June 18 with Aishwarya Rai and Ajay Devgn, earned Rs 43.86 crore, according to Bollywood Hungama.
Sooraj Barjatya’s ‘Hum Saath-Saath Hain’, released on November 5, assembled an extended family including Saif Ali Khan, Karisma, Sonali Bendre, Tabu and Mohnish Bahl, collecting Rs 69.58 crore. From a wayward husband to an exuberant lover and a soft-spoken family man, Salman had audiences responding to several shades of his persona.
7. Ayushmann Khurrana - 2019: Three Subjects, Three Successful Bets
Ayushmann’s 2019 was a particularly satisfying year for anyone rooting for variety. Anubhav Sinha’s ‘Article 15’, released on June 28, cast him as a police officer confronting caste discrimination, with Isha Talwar and Manoj Pahwa among the cast. It earned Rs 93.08 crore worldwide. Raaj Shaandilyaa’s ‘Dream Girl’, released on September 13 with Nushrratt Bharuccha, switched gears into comedy and grossed Rs 200.80 crore.
Amar Kaushik’s ‘Bala’, released on November 8 with Bhumi Pednekar and Yami Gautam, added Rs 171.49 crore, according to Bollywood Hungama. Early hair loss became the starting point for a comedy about insecurity and appearance.
8. Ajay Devgn - 2010: From Political Manoeuvres To ‘Golmaal’ Mayhem
Ajay spent 2010 moving between intensity and outright silliness, with rewarding results. Prakash Jha’s ‘Raajneeti’, released on June 4, featured him alongside Ranbir Kapoor, Katrina Kaif and Nana Patekar and grossed Rs 149.53 crore worldwide. Milan Luthria’s ‘Once Upon A Time In Mumbaai’, released on July 30, brought his gangster Sultan Mirza to the screen with Emraan Hashmi, Kangana Ranaut and Prachi Desai, earning Rs 82.13 crore.
Rohit Shetty’s ‘Golmaal 3’, released on November 5 with Kareena Kapoor Khan, Arshad Warsi and Tusshar Kapoor, took the comic route to Rs 169.09 crore, according to Bollywood Hungama. The contrast is what makes the year memorable: the same actor could command a tense confrontation and then throw himself into a noisy family feud.
9. Karthi - 2022: A Village Drama, A Chola Adventure And A Spy Thriller
Karthi barely had time to celebrate one success before the next arrived. M. Muthaiah’s ‘Viruman’, opposite Aditi Shankar, released on August 12 and reportedly grossed over Rs 60 crore worldwide. Mani Ratnam’s ‘Ponniyin Selvan: I’, released on September 30, followed his charismatic Vandiyathevan through a sprawling ensemble featuring Vikram, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Jayam Ravi and Trisha. The makers reported Rs 500 crore worldwide by its 50-day milestone.
P.S. Mithran’s ‘Sardar’, released on October 21 with Raashii Khanna and Rajisha Vijayan, completed the hat-trick, with its producer announcing a worldwide gross above Rs 100 crore. Karthi played both a spy and his police-officer son, making the finale to his year a double act in more ways than one.
10. Vijay Sethupathi - 2016: Four Successes Without A Single Screen Persona
Vijay Sethupathi’s versatility was working overtime in 2016. S.U. Arun Kumar’s ‘Sethupathi’, with Remya Nambeesan, released on February 19; Nalan Kumarasamy’s ‘Kadhalum Kadandhu Pogum’, opposite Madonna Sebastian, followed on March 11. Seenu Ramasamy’s ‘Dharma Durai’, featuring Tamannaah Bhatia and Aishwarya Rajesh, arrived on August 19, before M. Manikandan’s ‘Aandavan Kattalai’, opposite Ritika Singh, opened on September 23.
A useful contemporary measure comes from Behindwoods’ Chennai-only box-office estimates: Rs 2.13 crore for ‘Sethupathi’, Rs 2.87 crore for ‘Kadhalum Kadandhu Pogum’, Rs 3.56 crore for ‘Dharma Durai’ and Rs 2.87 crore for ‘Aandavan Kattalai’. These are city collections, not worldwide totals. Its assessment rated three hits and ‘Dharma Durai’ a super-hit in that market.
11. Nayanthara - 2015: Four Successes Across Romance, Crime And Horror
Nayanthara’s 2015 had room for both major co-starring roles and a film built around her. Siddique’s Malayalam family entertainer ‘Bhaskar the Rascal’, opposite Mammootty, released on April 15 and reportedly earned around Rs 25 crore. Mohan Raja’s ‘Thani Oruvan’, released on August 28 with Jayam Ravi and Arvind Swamy, was estimated at Rs 75.17 crore worldwide in Filmibeat’s contemporary year-end report.
Ashwin Saravanan’s ‘Maya’, released on September 17 with Aari, put her at the centre of a chilling horror mystery and earned an estimated Rs 48 crore. Vignesh Shivan’s ‘Naanum Rowdy Dhaan’, opposite Vijay Sethupathi, followed on October 21, grossing an estimated Rs 57.78 crore, according to the same Filmibeat report.
12. Mohanlal - 2016: A Winning Run That Crossed Language Borders
Mohanlal’s 2016 successes travelled from Telugu cinema back to Kerala. Koratala Siva’s ‘Janatha Garage’, released on September 1 with Jr NTR, Samantha Ruth Prabhu and Nithya Menen, collected approximately Rs 135 crore worldwide. Priyadarshan’s ‘Oppam’, released on September 8, cast Mohanlal as a visually impaired man drawn into a murder mystery, alongside Samuthirakani, Anusree and Vimala Raman. It reportedly reached Rs 65 crore worldwide.
Vysakh’s ‘Pulimurugan’, released on October 7 with Kamalinee Mukherjee and Jagapathi Babu, took the action scale considerably higher and grossed close to Rs 150 crore worldwide, according to Filmibeat’s subsequent assessment. The pleasure of this run lay in the range: a commanding elder, a vulnerable but resourceful witness and a larger-than-life forest protector, all finding audiences within weeks of one another.
13. Samantha Ruth Prabhu - 2016: A Hat-Trick Across Tamil And Telugu Cinema
Samantha’s 2016 brought three major successes across two industries. Atlee’s ‘Their’, released on April 14 with Vijay and Amy Jackson, grossed approximately Rs 153 crore worldwide. Trivikram Srinivas’s ‘A Aa’, released on June 2 with Nithiin and Anupama Parameswaran, collected Rs 75.40 crore. Koratala Siva’s ‘Janatha Garage’, released on September 1 with Jr NTR, Mohanlal and Nithya Menen, added approximately Rs 135 crore. Samantha moved from the emotional family history of an action film to the more expansive central role of Anasuya in a romantic comedy.
14. Nani - 2017: A Consistent Year For The ‘Natural Star’
Nani’s three-film 2017 run made consistency look deceptively easy. Trinadha Rao Nakkina’s ‘Nenu Local’, opposite Keerthy Suresh, released on February 3 and earned approximately Rs 60.80 crore worldwide. Shiva Nirvana’s ‘Ninnu Kori’, released on July 7 with Nivetha Thomas and Aadhi Pinisetty, turned to a more bittersweet romantic triangle and collected approximately Rs 52.80 crore.
Venu Sriram’s ‘MCA: Middle Class Abbayi’, released on December 21 with Sai Pallavi and Bhumika Chawla, finished the year at approximately Rs 71.20 crore. Nani’s appeal carried through a cheeky romantic comedy, a story about accepting lost love, and a family-centred action drama. None needed a Rs 200 crore tag to make the year a notable winning spell.
15. Karisma Kapoor - 1997: Two David Dhawan Comedies And A Yash Chopra Romance
Karisma’s 1997 began with a particularly energetic February. David Dhawan’s ‘Judwaa’, with Salman Khan and Rambha, released on February 7; his ‘Hero No.1’, opposite Govinda, arrived just two weeks later on February 21. Box Office India’s listed worldwide estimates put them at approximately Rs 27 crore and Rs 33 crore, respectively.
Yash Chopra’s ‘Dil To Pagal Hai’, released on October 31 with Shah Rukh Khan and Madhuri Dixit, added approximately Rs 73 crore on the same tracker. Beyond the collections, the films captured two sides of Karisma’s appeal: sparkling comic timing in the first pair and the hurt beneath Nisha’s outward confidence in the musical romance. That is a much richer year than three successful titles on a filmography.
16. Raveena Tandon - 1994: A Year That Included ‘Mohra’, ‘Dilwale’ And ‘Laadla’
Raveena’s 1994 is easy to remember for ‘Tu Cheez Badi Hai Mast Mast’, but the wider box-office run deserves attention too. Harry Baweja’s ‘Dilwale’, with Ajay Devgn and Suniel Shetty, released on February 4 and grossed approximately Rs 12 crore worldwide. Raj Kanwar’s ‘Laadla’, released on March 25 with Anil Kapoor and Sridevi, earned approximately Rs 14 crore.
Rajiv Rai’s ‘Mohra’, released on July 1 with Akshay Kumar and Suniel Shetty, added approximately Rs 23 crore, using rounded Box Office India worldwide estimates. A romantic drama, a workplace-and-family melodrama and a slick action thriller gave her three successful films with very different selling points.
17. Katrina Kaif - 2007: The Year Her Mainstream Appeal Took Off
Katrina’s 2007 brought a string of films that audiences would continue revisiting on television. Vipul Amrutlal Shah’s ‘Namastey London’, opposite Akshay Kumar, released on March 23 and grossed approximately Rs 71 crore worldwide. David Dhawan’s ‘Partner’, released on July 20 with Salman Khan, Govinda and Lara Dutta, earned approximately Rs 101 crore. Anees Bazmee’s ‘Welcome’, released on December 21 with Akshay, Anil Kapoor and Nana Patekar, collected approximately Rs 119.5 crore. The combination gave her romance, broad comedy and a recurring partnership with Akshay.
18. Varun Dhawan - 2015: A Revenge Drama, A Dance Film And A Starry Ensemble
Varun’s 2015 was an early demonstration that he could move beyond the breezy young-man image of his debut. Sriram Raghavan’s ‘Badlapur’, released on February 20 with Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Yami Gautam and Huma Qureshi, grossed approximately Rs 78.90 crore worldwide, according to Box Office India. Remo D’Souza’s ‘ABCD 2’, released on June 19 with Shraddha Kapoor and Prabhu Deva, earned Rs 166 crore, according to Sacnilk.
Rohit Shetty’s ‘Dilwale’, released on December 18 with Shah Rukh Khan, Kajol and Kriti Sanon, closed the year at Rs 376.85 crore worldwide on Bollywood Hungama’s tally. What makes the year stand out is the progression: a damaged man consumed by revenge, a dancer chasing a dream, and the younger half of a lavish ensemble entertainer.
