India’s movie culture has evolved into a cinematic universe of its own. From mythological epics to spy thrillers, Indian film franchises are breaking barriers, setting records, and telling compelling stories across languages. Let’s explore the top 10 Indian movie franchises of all time by their global box office collections, showcasing the power and diversity of Indian cinema.
Baahubali Franchise (Telugu)
- Total Collection: $278 million (around ₹2,300 crore)
- Movies: Baahubali: The Beginning (2015), Baahubali 2: The Conclusion (2017)
- Directed by: S.S. Rajamouli
Few franchises have made as much of an impact on Indian cinema as Baahubali. The film has visualized in epic proportions, based on mythological narrative and, is a testament to spectacular storytelling with which it made ₹1,000 crore in India. It changed the way the world looked at Telugu cinema and catapulted S.S. Rajamouli into stardom across the globe. Baahubali is not a film, it’s a phenomenon.
YRF Spy Universe (Hindi)
- Total Collection: $230 million (approx ₹1,900 crore)
- Films: Ek Tha Tiger (2012), Tiger Zinda Hai (2017), War (2019), Pathaan (2023), Tiger 3 (2023)
- Produced by: Yash Raj Films
Bollywood’s most successful cinematic universe, this franchise unites czars like Salman Khan, Hrithik Roshan and Shah Rukh Khan under its spy umbrella. Pathaan alone had grossed ₹1,050 crore ($126 million) worldwide. The shared universe and crossover appearances amped up the buzz. It’s India’s homegrown response to Hollywood’s Marvel-style storytelling aficionados.
KGF Franchise (Kannada)
- Total Collection: $145 million (around ₹1,200 crore)
- Movies: KGF Chapter 1 (2018), KGF Chapter 2 (2022)
- Directed by: Prashanth Neel
Yash redefined the genre of action movie in India with his performance as Rocky Bhai. Defying all odds KGF 2 broke records, particularly in the Hindi belts where it also fared better than a lot of Bollywood films. The film’s raw frames, hard-hitting dialogues and heavyweight music gave KGF the status of a cultural phenomenon in India. Its success and grandness itself showed that Kannada cinema can match the heights of international cinema.
RRR (Stand-alone, but in Rajamouli’s universe)
- Total Collection: $160 million (around ₹1,300 crore)
- Film: RRR (2022)
- Directed by: S.S. Rajamouli
Not a franchise in the traditional sense, RRR’s global success and the potential buzz around future sequels or spin-offs could see it enter the ranks of featured film franchises in future. Featuring Ram Charan and Jr. NTR in powerful avatars, RRR became the first Indian movie to earn an Oscar (Best Original Song for “Naatu Naatu”) and had a roaring run overseas, especially the US and Japan.
Rohit Shetty’s Cop Universe (Hindi)
- Total Collection: $125 million (approximately ₹1,000 crore)
- Movies: Singham (2011), Singham Returns (2014), Simmba (2018), Sooryavanshi (2021)
- Directed by: Rohit Shetty
This homegrown cinematic universe subsists on monumental action and swelling patriotic themes. Ajay Devgn’s Singham kicked it all off, and Ranveer Singh’s Simmba brought a charge to it. Akshay Kumar’s Sooryavanshi, released in a pandemic, earned upwards of ₹290 crore ($35 million). It’s a franchise that was made for the Indian masses, and is only expanding.
Dhoom Series (Hindi)
- Total Collection: $95 million (approx ₹800 crore)
- Films: Dhoom (2004), Dhoom 2 (2006), Dhoom 3 (2013)
- Produced by: Yash Raj Films
The Dhoom series was Bollywood’s earliest experiment with a modern action franchise. From John Abraham’s biker gang to Hrithik Roshan’s master thief and Aamir Khan’s illusionist, each villain stole the show. Dhoom 3’s massive ₹500 crore-plus collection made it the highest-grossing Indian film in 2013.
Golmaal Franchise (Hindi)
Global Collection: $92 Million (Rs 750 crore approx.)
- Movies: Golmaal (2006), Golmaal Returns (2008), Golmaal 3 (2010), Golmaal Again (2017)
- Directed by: Rohit Shetty
Golmaal: One of India’s longest-running comedy franchises, Golmaal has slapstick fun and wacky characters. The fourth, Golmaal Again, has now managed to become the highest grossing Bollywood comedy of all time, with collections exceeding ₹300 crore ($36 million). A fifth game is in the works to cement its legacy.
Housefull Series (Hindi)
Total: $90 million (around ₹740 crore)
- Movies: Housefull (2010), Housefull 2 (2012), Housefull 3 (2016), Housefull 4 (2019)
- Lead Actor: Akshay Kumar
This family entertainment franchise courts confusion for laughs, a formula served as fancily as possible. Housefull 4 adopted a reincarnation story and was a commercial success with a worldwide gross of over ₹280 crore ($34 million), despite negative reviews. Its assembly-cast style still works for Christmas offerings.
Drishyam Franchise (Malayalam & Hindi)
Gross Collection: $85 million (Approx ₹710 crore)
- Movies: Drishyam (2013 – Malayalam), Drishyam 2 (2021 – Malayalam), Drishyam (2015 – Hindi), Drishyam 2 (2022 – Hindi)
- Directed by: Jeethu Joseph (Malayalam), Nishikant Kamat and Abhishek Pathak (Hindi)
The original, in Malayalam, starring Mohanlal, was a lesson in suspense. The Hindi remake with Ajay Devgn repeated its success on a larger spectrum. The 2022 Hindi sequel took in ₹345 crore ($42 million), transforming the slow-burn thriller into a franchise with national appeal.
Lokesh Cinematic Universe (Tamil)
Overall Collection: $52 million (around ₹430 crore)
- Movies: Kaithi (2019), Vikram (2022), Leo (2023)
- Directed by: Lokesh Kanagaraj
Lokesh Kanagaraj’s growing cinematic universe links rough Hoon Gan crimes with sleek action. Vikram, which featured Kamal Haasan collected ₹430 crore ($52 million) worldwide. In a world where Leo is going to continue to expand a universe that we will increasingly see sharing crossovers, LCU is fast shaping into Tamil cinema’s most ambitious pipe dream.
Also Read, Top 10 Highest Grossing Hollywood Franchises That Changed Cinema
Conclusion
Movie franchises in India have gone from assembly-line sequels to full-blown universes. From high-budget epics like “Baahubali” and “RRR” to slick spy thrillers like “Pathaan” and “War,” these franchises are not only dominating the box office, but driving film trends across the country.
And, most importantly, they are a pan-India movement. Tags: franchisesWith the same film releasing in number of languages now and cross collaborations happening among industries, these franchises bring on table an audience which is not only larger, it’s more diverse than ever before. Be it the emotional drama of Drishyam, the explosive swagger of KGF, or the nostalgia factor of Dhoom and Golmaal, each franchise has something different to offer.
The way technology is changing and storytelling styles are becoming more entwined, Indian audiences could hope to see even more up and higher concepts franchises, in the years to come. What is clear is that the age of the Indian film franchise is well and truly here – and here to stay.
FAQs
- Q: Which is the highest grossing Indian movie franchise?
A: The Baahubali franchise is the highest grossing Indian movie franchise with a total global collection of $278 million (around ₹2,300 crore). - Q: What is the YRF Spy Universe?
A: It’s a shared cinematic universe by Yash Raj Films featuring movies like Ek Tha Tiger, War, Pathaan, and Tiger 3, with a total collection of approximately ₹1,900 crore. - Q: Has RRR become a franchise?
A: Not officially, but its massive success has led to speculation about possible spin-offs or sequels that may create a franchise in the future. - Q: Which Indian comedy franchise has grossed the highest?
A: The Golmaal franchise is currently the highest grossing Indian comedy series with total earnings around ₹750 crore. - Q: Who created the Lokesh Cinematic Universe?
A: The LCU was created by Lokesh Kanagaraj and includes movies like Kaithi, Vikram, and Leo.
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