Vijay Sethupathi’s Maharaja shines in China, breaks box office records
Vijay Sethupathi’s Maharaja has created a stir in China and has become the highest-grossing Indian film there in five years. Released in November, it is close to joining the Rs 100 crore club, a significant milestone for Indian cinema overseas.
Nithilan Swaminathan’s Tamil action thriller Maharaja, starring Vijay Sethupathi, was released in Chinese theaters in November last year. According to a Chinese Embassy official, in just one month, the film is nearing the Rs 100 crore mark and has become the highest-grossing Indian film in China in five years.
Chinese Embassy in India spokesperson Yu Jing shared an update on the box office performance of Maharaja in China on her X handle. He posted a poster of the film and captioned it, “Maharaja becomes the highest grossing Indian film in China since 2018, reaching Rs 91.55 crore. Well done.”
Maharaja is the first Indian film to be released in China after the October 2024 agreement, which aims to normalize relations between the two countries by ending the standoff in eastern Ladakh.
According to cinema ticket sales portal, Maoyan, the film collected approximately 13.37 million RMB (₹15.6 crore) on its opening day in November 2024. The film, which was given a high rating of 8.7/10 on the Chinese film review site Douban, is considered. “One of the highest rated Indian films in recent years.”
Directed by Nithilan Swaminathan, Maharaja also stars Anurag Kashyap, Mamta Mohandas and Natty Natraj. The story revolves around Maharaja, a barber from Chennai, who goes to a police station to get back his stolen dustbin, which leads to an unexpected turn of events.
Maharaja received a positive response in India upon its release on June 14, and grossed over Rs 100 crore domestically.
Previously, Indian films like Aamir Khan’s Dangal and Secret Superstar, as well as Ayushmann Khurrana’s Andhadhun and Rani Mukherjee’s Hichki have performed well in China.
