In 2008, actor Aamir Khan’s Ghajini kick-started the Rs. 100-crore club. The very next year, his film, 3 Idiots, surpassed this to create the Rs. 200-crore club. Subsequently, every big film was judged on this benchmark.

However, 2023 has seen the formation of a new club with Pathaan, Gadar 2 and now Jawan crossing Rs. 500 crore in box-office collections. With the bar set high, experts debate if the upcoming films Animal, Tiger 3, Dunki and Salaar: Part 1 – Ceasefire need to reach this magical number to be considered a hit. What if these films fall short?

Trade analyst Taran Adarsh says, “In case of small films with minimal budgets, Rs. 100-crore is big. But for big-budget films, making Rs. 100 crore is a cakewalk; they get there in the first weekend itself. The Rs. 100-crore benchmark was applicable 10 years ago. It has now shifted to Rs. 500 crore.”

It’s common for fans to pit films against each other based on their collections. But a film not making it to a certain club isn’t mandatory. For example, a film made on a budget of Rs. 10 crore and earning Rs. 50 crore can still be considered a hit.

Producer Ramesh Taurani says, “A film’s success depends on its cost and who stars in it. The pressure is on if it’s a big star cast. Dream Girl 2 and Fukrey 3 were hits even if they didn’t make Rs. 500 crore. What matters is the return on investment.”

Devang Sampat, CEO, Cinepolis Cinemas, agrees and adds, “I think Pathaan, Gadar 2 and Jawan were exceptions. India has great potential, but I don’t think Rs. 500-crore club is the new Rs. 100-crore club. So many films don’t touch that mark, yet are hits in their own right. Either films are performing really well or not performing at all. I don’t think the upcoming films have any pressure to achieve these numbers.”

Animal producer Murad Khetani believes that it is the fans who consider these clubs as a benchmark. “The reality is that the budget decides [if a film is a hit or not],” he ends.