#ThatWas2019: Five biggest Bollywood hits of this year
What's the story
Bringing to us one of the most controversial movies of recent times, a disappointing Oscars entry, many shoddy biopics, and some silent gems, 2019 was a mixed bag, as far as Bollywood is concerned. But the box-office game of the industry remained top notch, with several films entering the Rs. 300cr club. From War to Uri, these were the highest-grossing movies of this year.
No. 1
'War' (Rs. 474cr)
This year, Hrithik Roshan returned to the silver screen... with a bang! After delivering a massively successful Super 30 (Rs. 208cr), Hrithik teamed up with Tiger Shroff to come up with the action-packed blockbuster War. The movie that followed the story of an Indian soldier out on a mission to kill his former mentor gone rogue, earned a mind-boggling Rs. 474cr at global box-office.
No. 2
'Kabir Singh' (Rs. 379cr)
Perhaps Bollywood's most contentious cinematic product of 2019, Kabir Singh was slammed hard for its blatant glorification of misogyny and toxic masculinity, but the Sandeep Vanga film (a remake of his own 2017 Telugu blockbuster) was an out-and-out winner at the box-office. The movie earned a massive Rs. 379cr globally, and in the process, became the biggest-ever solo hit of Shahid Kapoor.
No. 3
'Uri: The Surgical Strike' (Rs. 342cr)
Debutant director Aditya Dhar's military-drama based on the 2016 surgical strike launched by the Indian Army against terrorist launch pads in Pakistan, got everything right about its release timing. The movie's theatrical run coincided with the devastating Pulwama attack and Indian Air Force's retaliatory airstrike, which gave its business a massive jump. Uri posted a huge lifetime collection of Rs. 342cr.
No. 4
'Bharat' (Rs. 325cr)
An year-ender list about highest-grossing movies isn't possible without a Bhai film. Ali Abbas Zafar's period-drama Bharat followed the extraordinary life of a man in the backdrop of Indian independence and post-Independence era. Although Bharat received poor reviews, fans showered much love on it, as it went on to earn Rs. 325cr, and became Salman's 14th consecutive film to enter the Rs. 100cr club.
No. 5
'Mission Mangal' (Rs. 290cr)
Akshay Kumar, along with five powerful women scientists (played by Vidya Balan, Sonakshi Sinha, Taapsee Pannu, Nithya Menen and Kirti Kulhari) brought to us the inspiring story of ISRO scientists who made possible India's first interplanetary mission MOM. The Jagan Shakti film, which released on Independence day, garnered positive critic reviews and recorded a worldwide collection of Rs. 290cr.