Bollywood 100 Crore Club Movies

The concept of the 100 Crore Club in Bollywood emerged as an unofficial benchmark within the Indian film industry to measure the commercial success of movies. It signifies films that have earned a net box office collection of ₹100 crores or more in India after deducting the entertainment tax. Over time, reaching this milestone became a significant achievement and a reflection of a film's popularity and commercial viability.

Previously, indicators of success in Bollywood had included factors like great music, the "Silver Jubilee" (films running for 25 weeks in theatres), or the "Diamond Jubilee" (films running for 75 weeks). However, the focus gradually shifted to the box office numbers and the 100 Crore Club became the new benchmark for success.

The term "100 Crore Club" in Bollywood was reportedly coined by the magazine Brunch, which is published by Hindustan Times. Initially, the designation was limited to the lead male actor, but it later expanded to include the film itself, the director, and even the lead female actor. The inclusion of women in the club was seen as a necessary step to combat gender discrimination within the industry.

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The Officialization

Although the 100 Crore Club gained prominence in the 2010s, the first Indian film to cross ₹100 crore worldwide was the 1982 Bollywood movie "Disco Dancer." Directed by Babbar Subhash and starring Mithun Chakraborty, the film achieved immense success at the Soviet box office, grossing over ₹90 crores. However, the first Indian film to gross over ₹100 crores domestically was the iconic 1994 "Hum Aapke Hain Kaun" starring Salman Khan and Madhuri Dixit. It also became the first Indian film to cross the ₹200 crore mark worldwide. Following this, the Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol starrer "Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge" achieved the same feat in 1995.

The term "100 Crore Club" was coined when Aamir Khan's film "Ghajini" crossed the ₹100 crore mark domestically in 2008. This marked the official recognition of the 100 Crore Club, and it gradually expanded as more films joined its ranks. Aamir Khan's subsequent movies like "3 Idiots" (2009), "Dhoom 3" (2013), "PK" (2014), and "Dangal" (2016) not only entered the 100 Crore Club but also surpassed the 200, 300, 400, 500, 600, and even 700 crore marks worldwide.

In the International Market, the first Indian film to gross ₹100 crores was the Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol starrer "My Name is Khan" in 2010. It achieved this milestone in overseas markets. Another notable film was "3 Idiots," which also earned over ₹100 crores internationally in 2011.

When adjusted for inflation, the first Indian film to gross an adjusted ₹100 crores was the 1940 film "Zindagi," directed by P.C. Barua and written by Javed Hussain. On the international front, the 1951 film "Awaara," directed by Raj Kapoor and written by Khwaja Ahmad Abbas, achieved the milestone of grossing an adjusted ₹100 crores overseas. It became a blockbuster in the Soviet Union and showcased the global appeal of Indian cinema.

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The Popularity of the 100 Crore Club

The 100 Crore Club, along with its subsequent iterations like the 1000 Crore Club, has become a significant indicator of a film's commercial success in India. Actors like Salman Khan and Akshay Kumar have emerged as the highest holders of this distinction, contributing multiple films to the club. These movies not only reflect the popularity of Indian cinema but also the growing reach and global recognition of Bollywood and other regional film industries.

The Zee Cine Awards also introduced a category called "The Power Club Box Office" to recognize directors whose films had achieved the 100-crore milestone. This further emphasized the importance and popularity of movies reaching the coveted 100 Crore Club.

Other Indian Language Movies

The success of the 100 Crore Club was not limited to Bollywood alone. In the South Indian film industry, the Tamil film "Sivaji" starring Rajinikanth became the first South Indian film to gross over ₹100 crore worldwide in 2007. In Telugu cinema, S.S. Rajamouli's "Magadheera" in 2009 was the first film to enter the club. In Marathi cinema, "Sairat" became the first film to cross ₹100 crores worldwide in May 2016. Likewise, in Malayalam cinema, Mohanlal's "Pulimurugan" achieved this feat in 2016. Mammootty holds the record for the highest number of films in the 100 Crore Club in Malayalam, with movies like "Madhura Raja," "Mamangam," and "Bheeshma Parvam."

The Kannada film industry also witnessed its entry into the 100 Crore Club with the film "KGF" directed by Prashanth Neel in 2018. Starring Yash and Srinidhi Shetty, the movie earned over 153 crores in just 11 days.

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The Variations

As films continued to break box office records, variations of the 100 Crore Club emerged. The "Bollywood 400 Crore Club" was mentioned when the film "Chennai Express," starring Shah Rukh Khan and Deepika Padukone, reported box office receipts of 400 crores in 2013. In Telugu cinema, the "Tollywood 600 Crore Club" was introduced in 2015 to acknowledge films that earned over ₹600 crores, with "Baahubali: The Beginning" leading the way with ₹650 crores. Finally, the 1000 Crore Club came into existence when "Baahubali 2: The Conclusion" crossed the ₹1,000 crore mark in 2017, signifying the remarkable success of the film.

Criticism

Criticism of the 100 Crore Club emerged as well. DNA reported that filmmakers and distributors would go to great lengths to manipulate figures and inflate box office numbers to ensure their films crossed the 100-crore mark. The Times of India even cancelled its "Box Office" column because it felt unable to provide accurate figures due to the widespread manipulation of numbers. Films that were close to the 100-crore mark but had not reached it would still claim to be part of the club, leading to a lack of transparency and accuracy in reporting box office figures.

Some actors and industry professionals criticized the focus on the 100 Crore Club, considering it a superficial and limited goal. Arshad Warsi called it "stupid" and stressed the need to concentrate on making good films rather than solely aiming for huge box office numbers. Shahid Kapoor labelled it a "fad" that resulted in formulaic and mass-appeal films, potentially restricting the creative freedom of actors. However, others like Dibakar Banerjee acknowledged the positive impact of the club on boosting audience and investor confidence, while Priyanka Chopra highlighted the opportunities it provided for actors to balance commercial successes with more women-oriented films.

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100 Crore Club Bollywood Movies List

Worldwide Collection

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Domestic Market Collection

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Overseas Market Collection

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Inflation-Adjusted Gross Collection

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