Crossing ₹1,000 Cr is a huge milestone for any Indian film. Crossing it in the first week alone is something no Indian film has ever done. Three films have now come close, but all of them stopped short of the mark.
So Close, Yet So Far
Pushpa 2: ₹965 Cr
Dhurandhar 2: ₹940 Cr
Ramayana: ₹930 Cr
Pushpa 2 came closest with ₹965 Cr in its first week, just ₹35 Cr short. Dhurandhar 2 followed with ₹940 Cr.
Ramayana has done better than expected on the weekdays, grossing over ₹100 Cr on all seven days of its first week, and it is expected to finish the week above ₹920 Cr. Even with that record-breaking run, the ₹1,000 Cr first week remains out of reach.
Three films have now crossed ₹900 Cr in a week, and none has managed the last step to ₹1,000 Cr.
Why ₹1,000 Cr in a Week Is So Hard
To hit ₹1,000 Cr in seven days, a film needs to average over ₹140 Cr a day, every day, including the working days. That needs a massive opening, a huge holiday window and an audience across every language and territory, all at the same time.
Varanasi: The First Real Chance
Among the upcoming films, the strongest contender is SS Rajamouli and Mahesh Babu’s Varanasi.
Rajamouli is the director who took Indian cinema global with Baahubali and RRR, and Varanasi has the potential to bring in big numbers across all territories and all languages. Mahesh Babu’s huge fan base in the Telugu states and overseas gives the film a massive base to start from.
If the word of mouth is strong, Varanasi has everything it needs to finally break the ₹1,000 Cr first-week barrier and set a record that no Indian film has touched.
