Standalone films turning into franchises is not a new trend for the Indian audience, however, it has become very popular and mainstream in the last decade. Sometimes, the story itself demands to be told in multiple parts, while sometimes, characters become so popular that the makers decide to capitalise on them by greenlighting their sequels, prequels or spin-offs. Here we present the 7 highest-grossing Indian movie series of all time that rocked the box office globally.
7 highest-grossing Indian film franchises of all time at the worldwide box office
1. Bahubali Movie Series
The two-part Baahubali franchise directed by SS Rajamouli tops the all-time highest-grossing film series with a worldwide gross of Rs 2329 crore. The franchise consists of two installments – Baahubali: The Beginning (2015) and Baahubali: The Conclusion (2017). Starring Prabhas, Rana Daggubati, Anushka Shetty, Tamannaah Bhatia and others, the Baahubali movie series is a period action-drama that tells an epic revenge saga in two parts. This magnum opus is known for setting a new standard in Indian cinema and coining the term ‘Pan-India’.
While the first part grossed Rs 581 crore globally, the second part grossed a whopping Rs 1748 crore at the worldwide box office, making it the highest-grossing Indian film franchise of all time.
2. KGF Movie Series
Financed by Hombale Films, the Yash starrer KGF franchise ranked second with a cumulative worldwide earning of Rs 1378 crore. Consisting of two installments- KGF Chapter 1 (2018) and KGF Chapter 2 (2022), the film series is very popular among the masses. Yash gained immense fame and recognition as Rocky Bhai and became one of the most bankable stars of Indian cinema.
The internet is buzzing with speculations about the third installment of the KGF franchise; however, the makers are yet to officially take a decision.
3. Tiger Movie Series
Megastar Salman Khan has a huge fan following in India and abroad. The actor is widely recognised as the ‘Tiger’ of Indian cinema. It is none other than Bhaijaan’s Tiger franchise that has secured the third spot on the list.
An important part of the YRF Spy Universe, the Tiger movie series consists of three installments: Ek Tha Tiger (2012), Tiger Zinda Hai (2017), and Tiger 3 (2023). The first installment collected Rs 308 crore at the worldwide box office, the second Rs 565 crore, and the third Rs 449 crore, taking its total collection to Rs 1322 crore.
The Salman Khan and Katrina Kaif film series is the highest-grossing film among Bollywood franchises, but when considered for a pan-India release, it ranked third.
4. Enthiran Movie Series
Thalaivar Rajinikanth is one of the biggest money-earning actors in Indian cinema. The superstar starred in the Shankar-directed Enthiran (2010), and its sequel, 2.0 (2018), registered a total of Rs 943 crore at the worldwide box office, making it the fourth-highest-grossing film series of all time.
The first installment of this sci-fi action drama proved to be a huge hit, but the second installment underperformed at the box office due to its hefty production costs.
5. Ponniyin Selvan Movie Series
Mani Ratnam’s historical drama Ponniyin Selvan is a story of two parts. The first installment was a success by earning Rs 496 crore at the worldwide box office, but the last part disappointed with an average business of Rs 350 crore.
However, the total collection of both parts is Rs 846 crore, making it the fifth highest-grossing movie series of all time. The film stars Chiyaan Vikram, Jayam Ravi, Aishwarya Rai, Karthi, Trisha Krishnan and Sobhita Dhulipala in important roles.
6. Gadar Movie Series
Not just Sunny Deol’s filmography but the history of Indian cinema would be incomplete if we don’t mention the Gadar franchise. Directed by Anil Sharma, this gangster action film series is set in India and Pakistan and is one of the most eye-catching films of modern Indian cinema.
The franchise consists of two parts – Gadar: Ek Prem Katha (2001) and Gadar: The Katha Continues (2023). Both the films attracted a huge audience at the time of their release. These films grossed Rs 820 crore worldwide, making it one of the highest-grossing films of Indian cinema.
Encouraged by the response to Gadar 2, Sunny Deol and Anil Sharma are planning to bring its third version soon.
7. Housefull Movie Series
Sajid Nadiadwala’s comedy-caper Housefull is one of the biggest movie franchises in Indian cinema and is quite popular among the masses. The Akshay Kumar and Riteish Deshmukh starrer comedy film franchise consists of four installments – Housefull (2010), Housefull 2 ​​(2012), Housefull 3 (2016), and Housefull 4 (2019). While the fifth part is already on the way, the total earnings of the Housefull movie series stands at Rs 792 crore globally.
It is the seventh-highest-grossing film series of all time at the worldwide box office.
The following are the 7 highest-grossing Indian film franchises of all time at the worldwide box office:
| Post | Movie Series | worldwide gross collection |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bahubali | Rs 2,329 crore |
| 2 | KGF | Rs 1,378 crore |
| 3 | Ek Tha Tiger | Rs 1,322 crore |
| 4 | Enthiran | Rs 943 crore |
| 5 | Ponniyin Selvan | Rs 846 crore |
| 6 | mutiny | Rs 820 crore |
| 7 | Housefull | Rs 792 crore |
conclusion
Apart from these highest-grossing Indian film series, some other notable film franchises include Dhoom, Golmaal, Dabangg, Krrish, and more. Moreover, producers these days are planning cinematic universes according to the new trends.
Disclaimer: The box office figures are compiled from various sources and our own research. The figures may be approximate, and Pinkvilla makes no claims about the authenticity of the data. However, they are a fair indication of the box-office performance of the respective films.
Also read: Top 10 highest grossing Indian movies of first half of 2024 worldwide box office collection: Kalki 2898 A.D. leads by a huge margin; Fighter, Hanuman lag behind
