At the outset, Karthikeya 2’s Hindi–dubbed version recorded a modest collection of Rs. 7 lakhs on its debut day; however, it has been nothing short of a miracle in terms of financial returns ever since – so much so that four weeks into its release, the movie has now crossed the Rs. 28.50 crore mark! Indeed, this achievement is extraordinary and would continue to remain remarkable for years to come as such marvels are extremely rare in cinematic history. Nevertheless, the sheer longevity of Karthikeya 2 continues to reap dividends for everyone involved.
After the pandemic, audiences have become much more selective of their cinematic experiences and, as a result, films that manage to garner a positive response are an increasingly valuable commodity. Few films this year have managed to achieve success, however Karthikeya 2 [Hindi] has risen from obscurity to stand tall amongst them.
While no one expected it, this film has set an incredible record. In the lifetime of Rs 30 crore, it has become a hit—a feat unheard of in this age of movie–watching. Since Ghajini’s establishment of the Rs 100 Crore Club in 2008, people have paid close attention to box office collections more than ever before. 2009 was when the only movies that earned approximately Rs 30 crores and received HIT tags were Dum Laga Ke Haisha, Peepli [Live], Haunted – 3D and 1920 Evil Returns.
Raaz – The Mystery Continues is the lowest grossing movie out of the four discussed, with its collection from 2009 reaching Rs. 25 crores. Moving on to more recent films, Dum Laga Ke Haisha (2015) was released shortly afterwards, however since then none of them has accumulated a total revenue of 30 crores or lower to be deemed as successful. But Karthikeya 2 [Hindi] had managed this feat despite being similar in stature to Peepli [Live], Haunted – 3D and 1920 Evil Returns all bringing home lifetime incomes up to Rs. 30 crores. While adjusting for inflation and ticket prices, each film’s revenue could have been significantly higher than they are presently- and Karthikeya 2 stands alone here in terms of absolute numbers too.
Here is the lifetime of all these films:
Dum Laga Ke Haisha (2015) – Rs. 30.50 crores
Peepli [Live] (2010) – Rs. 30 crores
Haunted – 3D (2011) – Rs. 30 crores
1920 Evil Returns (2012) – Rs. 30 crores
Karthikeya 2 [Hindi] (2022) – Rs. 28.5o crores (still running)
Raaz – The Mystery Continues (2009) – Rs. 25 crores
In the higher ranks of box–office hits stands Jolly LLB (2013) with its lifetime collection amounting to Rs. 32 crores. Karthikeya 2 [Hindi], although a success, has not been able to match this benchmark yet.
Note: All collections as per production and distribution sources
