January 06, 2025 03:03 PM IST
A film that made just ₹3 crore in India managed to sell 30 crore tickets in another country, leaving behind even Dangal, RRR and Pushpa 2: The Rule.
as soon as the king closes After crossing the Rs 100 crore mark in China, the performance of Indian films in the country has once again come into discussion. In recent times, films like Dangal, Secret Superstar and Andhadhun have earned crores of rupees there. Similarly, RRR and Pushpa 2 have performed well in Japan and other Asian regions. Still, the performance of these blockbuster films pales in comparison to the earnings of a small-budget crime thriller 54 years ago.
The film that sold 30 crore tickets in China
In terms of overseas successes of Indian films, it is difficult to replicate the success that Caravan, released in 1971, achieved in China. A small film with a modest budget, Caravan starred Jeetendra and Asha Parekh in the lead roles. This film directed by Nasir Hussain was a superhit in terms of earnings in India. grossed ₹3.6 crore at the box office and became the sixth highest-grossing film of 1971 at the domestic Indian box office. But its real legacy-building process began eight years later, when it was released in China. Caravan sold 88 million tickets in its original China release, making it the highest-grossing foreign film in China up to that time. The craze for Caravan was such that the film was re-released several times in China, with total viewership reaching 300 million, the highest for any Indian film in a single country. To reach this peak it beat the records of Sholay in India and Awara in Soviet.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0_0DrI-I9_Y
How Caravan Dangal is a bigger overseas hit than RRR, Pushpa 2
Dangal 2 has been considered the biggest Indian hit overseas, earning $238 million from China alone. It sold 43.1 million tickets in China, just one-seventh of Caravan’s sales. Similarly, SS Rajamouli’s RRR created history with record-breaking collections in the US and Japan. The film collected around $20 million from both these territories, but its combined attendance here was ‘only’ 30 lakhs. The biggest Indian film in the last few years, Pushpa 2: The Rule has sold 6 crore tickets in India and an estimated 1 crore tickets overseas in its first month. No single figure can hold a candle to what Caravan achieved.
about caravan
With a worldwide viewership of 320 million, Caravan may be the most watched Indian film in theatres. But since most of them were in re-releases, the crown currently rests on Sholay’s head. Ramesh Sippy’s film had sold 20 crore tickets in its initial run. Caravan was a crime thriller inspired by Girl on the Run (1953). It starred Jeetendra, Asha Parekh, Aruna Irani, Mehmood Jr. and Helen among others. The film became famous for its chartbuster songs – Chadti Jawaani, Piya Tu Ab To Aa Jaa, Dilbar Dil Se Pyaare and Kitna Pyaara Vaada. caravan earned With a worldwide gross of ₹35 crore, it became one of the highest-grossing Indian films of the 70s and 80s.
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