Box office: 5 biggest Bollywood openers of 2023
What's the story
The year 2023 started with a bang for Hindi cinema, thanks to the Shah Rukh Khan starrer Pathaan, which ended Bollywood's dry spell at the box office.
Despite the success of Pathaan and the fairly good business of a couple of films, Bollywood's first quarter wasn't impressive enough.
Meanwhile, here's a lowdown on the five biggest openers of Hindi cinema in 2023 so far.
#1
'Pathaan'
The biggest blockbuster of 2023 so far is none other than Pathaan, which reportedly raked in a whopping Rs. 55 crore on its opening day (January 25).
It also became one of the most successful Indian films of all time.
Also featuring Deepika Padukone and John Abraham in the lead roles, the movie made a lifetime collection of over Rs. 1,000 crore globally.
#2
'Kisi Ka Bhai Kisi Ki Jaan'
Second on the list is Salman Khan's Kisi Ka Bhai Kisi Ki Jaan, which collected Rs. 15.81 crore on its first day.
It is the actor's first film to be released in the theaters on the occasion of Eid since the COVID-19 pandemic.
For the unversed, Bollywood's Bhaijaan has a tradition of releasing his films on Eid as a gift for his fans.
#3
'Tu Jhoothi Main Makkaar'
Ranbir Kapoor and Shraddha Kapoor starrer Tu Jhoothi Main Makkaar, a romantic comedy-drama, also opened to great reviews and a strong box office collection when it was released in March on the occasion of Holi.
The film, directed by Luv Ranjan and backed by T-Series and Luv Films, earned Rs. 15.7 crore on its release day, securing a third spot in the list.
#4
'Bholaa'
Ajay Devgn returned to the director's chair once again with this high-octane action drama Bholaa. His last directorial venture was 2022's Runway 34, which tanked at the box office.
Starring Devgn and Tabu in the lead, Bholaa collected Rs. 11.2 crore at the box office on the day of its release.
Meanwhile, its sequel will star Abhishek Bachchan as the antagonist, said reports.
#5
'The Kerala Story'
Amid multiple controversies surrounding it, The Kerala Story reportedly opened with Rs. 8.03 crore (early estimates) on Friday (May 5).
Two factors make the film's mention in the list special: it is not led by any A-lister and is the only female-led movie on the list.
Directed by Sudipto Sen, The Kerala Story stars Adah Sharma in the lead as Shalini Unnikrishnan/Fatima Ba.