10 Most Expensive Indian Films 2024

Recently, the Indian film Industry has seen a surge in high-budget productions, creating a stir among audiences. An interesting revelation that surprised many is that the cost of Chandrayaan 3 is lower than the budget allocated for Om Raut's Adipurush. This highlights the significant financial investment required for filmmaking. Filmmaking encompasses various expenses, from lead actors to crews, VFX teams, and marketing.

Building sets, securing permissions, and covering travel and food costs contribute to the financial outlay. However, the audience's response remains unpredictable – what if a film fails to resonate and becomes a commercial disappointment? Such instances can result in substantial losses. This article presents a compilation of the top big-budget Indian films and their profit or loss margins.

Top 10 Most Expensive Indian Films

Here is the list of the most expensive films India ever saw in recent times:

Padmaavat: Rs. 180 - Rs. 190 crores

• Star Cast: Deepika Padukone, Shahid Kapoor, Ranveer Singh, Aditi Rao Hydari, Jim Sarbh, Raza Murad

• Director: Sanjay Leela Bhasali

Padmaavat is an epic historical drama inspired by Malik Muhammad Jayasi's legendary poem. Produced with a production budget estimated between Rs. 180 crores and Rs. 190 crores, this cinematic masterpiece ranks among the most extravagant ventures in Indian film history. Upon its much-anticipated release, Padmaavat garnered various reviews, encompassing mixed and positive sentiments. The film was commended for its striking visuals, meticulous cinematography, and Singh's compelling portrayal of the menacing Khilji. However, criticism surfaced regarding its narrative trajectory, execution, extended length, and alignment with regressive patriarchal norms. Even with a limited release in certain Indian states, Padmaavat achieved an astounding box office gross of over Rs. 585 crores. This monumental success established it as a significant commercial triumph, securing the twelfth position among the highest-grossing Indian films ever.

Thugs of Hindostan: Rs. 200 - Rs. 300 crores

• Star Cast: Amitabh Bachchan, Aamir Khan, Katrina Kaif, Fatima Sana Shaikh, Ronit Roy, Ila Arun

• Director: Vijay Krishna Acharya

Produced with an estimated budget ranging between Rs. 200 crores and Rs. 300 crores, Thugs of Hindostan stands as one of Bollywood's most abundant and costly cinematic ventures. While it garnered mixed reviews from critics and audiences, there was recognition for standout performances by Bachchan and Khan. However, criticisms were directed towards Acharya's direction, screenplay, script, and the supporting cast's performances. The film embarked on a promising note, breaking records for the highest first-day collection and a remarkable two-day collection for any Hindi film in India. It secured the fourth-biggest opening weekend in the country. However, its trajectory experienced a noticeable dip on the second day itself. Thugs of Hindostan achieved a commendable worldwide box office collection of Rs. 335 crores, securing its place as the 38th highest-grossing Indian film ever.

Pathaan: Rs. 240 crores

• Star Cast: Shahrukh Khan, Deepika Padukone, John Abraham, Dimple Kapadia, Ashutosh Rana, Ekta Kaul

• Director: Siddharth Anand

Pathaan emerged as an enthralling action thriller, shot across diverse locales, including India, Afghanistan, Spain, UAE, Turkey, Russia, Italy, and France. This film was meticulously produced on an estimated Rs. 225 crores production budget, supplemented by an additional Rs. 15 crores for print and advertising. Pathaan achieved remarkable milestones, securing records for the highest opening day, highest single day, highest opening weekend, and highest opening week for a Hindi film within India's borders. With a global gross of Rs. 1,050.3 crores, Pathaan proudly stands as the highest-grossing Indian film of 2023, the second-highest-grossing Hindi film of all time, the fifth-highest-grossing Indian film ever, and the seventeenth highest-grossing film of 2023. An exceptional feat, Pathaan named it the first Hindi film to achieve Rs. 1,000 crores in worldwide Earnings without a release in China.

83: Rs. 225 - Rs. 270 crores

• Star Cast: Ranveer Singh, Deepika Padukone, Pankaj Tripathi, Harrdy Sandhu, Ammy Virk, Neena Gupta, Boman Irani

• Director: Kabir Khan

With a budget ranging between Rs. 225 and Rs. 270 crores, 83 is a riveting biographical sports drama that chronicles the remarkable journey of the India national cricket team led by Kapil Dev, culminating in their historic victory at the 1983 Cricket World Cup. Despite earning accolades, the film faced challenges at the Indian box office, yet it emerged as the highest-grossing Hindi film of 2021 overseas, showcasing its international appeal.

83 commenced its journey as the second-highest-grossing Hindi opener of 2021, accumulating approximately Rs. 12.64 crores within its initial days. The momentum swiftly escalated, with the film amassing Rs. 25.73 crore by the second day and an impressive Rs. 30.91 crore on its third day, culminating in an outstanding opening weekend collection of approximately Rs. 83 crores. Undoubtedly, the film crossed the coveted 100-crore milestone on its sixth day, earning a commendable Rs. 106.03 crores. By the end of the first week, the film's global box-office earnings were estimated at around Rs. 135 crores, with its performance still gaining momentum. Within ten days, 83 achieved a remarkable figure of approximately Rs. 146.54 crores. Despite these accomplishments, given its substantial production costs, the film was viewed as a box-office disappointment.

Saaho: Rs. 350 crores

• Star Cast: Prabhas, Shraddha Kapoor, Jackie Shroff, Chunky Pandey, Neil Nitin Mukesh, Mandira Bedi, Evelyn Sharma

• Director: Sujeeth

Saaho, an Indian action thriller film, was uniquely produced in Telugu and Hindi. The movie marked the Hindi film debut of Prabhas and the Telugu film debut of Shraddha Kapoor. With a budget of Rs. 350 crores, Saaho garnered a substantial worldwide gross ranging between Rs. 407.65 crores and Rs. 439 crores. The film exhibited above-average performance at the box office, except its Hindi version, which achieved commercial success. The extensive screenplay of Saaho includes an elaborate action sequence filmed near the iconic Burj Khalifa, with a staggering expenditure of Rs. 25 crores from the production budget.

On its opening day, Saaho raked in Rs. 130 crores globally, emerging as the second-highest ever for an Indian film. The movie's worldwide collection reached Rs. 220 crores after the second day. Over its opening weekend, Saaho amassed a gross of Rs. 294 crores globally and extended to Rs. 370 crores within its first week. By the tenth day, Saaho had crossed the Rs. 400 crore mark. Ultimately, the film's net revenue in India amounted to Rs. 302 crores by the conclusion of its theatrical run.

2.0: Rs. 400 - Rs. 600 crores

• Star Cast: Rajnikanth, Akshay Kumar, Amy Jackson, Sudhanshu Pandey, Adil Hussain

• Director: S Shankar

2.0 is an Indian Tamil-language 3D science-fantasy action film. The narrative revolves around the clash between Chitti, a humanoid robot once dismantled, and Pakshi Rajan, a former ornithologist seeking revenge against mobile phone users to halt the decline of avian populations. With an estimated budget ranging from Rs. 400 to Rs. 600 crores, 2.0 is the most expensive Indian film at its release and remains one of the costliest productions to date.

2.0 garnered predominantly favourable reviews, receiving acclaim for its innovative storyline, direction, performances by Rajinikanth and Akshay Kumar, visual effects, action sequences, impactful soundtrack, and Underlying social message. However, the screenplay did attract some criticism. On the box office front, 2.0 achieved substantial success, grossing between Rs. 519 and Rs. 800 crores. It is the 7th highest-grossing film in India, the 15th highest-grossing Indian film overall, and the third highest-grossing Tamil film.

Brahmastra (Part One - Shiva): Rs. 410 crores

• Star Cast: Amitabh Bachchan, Ranbir Kapoor, Alia Bhatt, Mouni Roy, Nagarjuna Akkineni, Dimple Kapadia

• Director: Ayan Mukerji

Brahmastra: Part One – Shiva is a fantasy action-adventure movie. It serves as the opening chapter in a planned trilogy and is intended to play a pivotal role within the broader Astraverse cinematic universe. Taking inspiration from narratives within Hindu mythology, the plot orbits around Shiva, a talented musician who discovers his pyrokinetic capabilities, ultimately revealing his identity as an astra, an immensely powerful weapon. As he grapples with his newfound abilities, Shiva endeavours to safeguard the Brahmastra, the most potent astras, from evil forces that share a deeply intertwined history with him.

Initial reports indicated that the production budget for the film amounted to Rs. 410 crores, positioning it as one of the most expensive Indian films and the costliest Hindi film during its release period. However, lead actor Ranbir Kapoor later clarified that this budget encompassed the production expenses for all three main instalments of the franchise. Assets created during the making of the first film would be leveraged in forthcoming instalments. Around Rs. 150 crores were allocated for VFX expenditures during the post-production phase. Reviews for the film were a mix of positive and negative aspects. Despite this reception, the film triumphed at the box office, accumulating an estimated gross of over Rs. 431 crores globally.

It has amassed a domestic total of Rs. 320 crores and Rs. 111 crores overseas, culminating in an approximate global gross of Rs. 431 crores. Notably, the film's first-weekend earnings of Rs. 189 crores in India and Rs. 213 crores worldwide marked it as the highest-grossing Hindi film overseas since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Adipurush: Rs. 500 crores

• Star Cast: Prabhas, Saif Ali Khan, Sunny Singh, Kriti Sanon, Devdatta Nage, Vatsal Sheth

• Director: Om Raut

The most controversial movie of 2023, Adipurush, showcased a magnificent start during its opening weekend, thanks to effective marketing and substantial pre-release buzz, amassing Rs. 140 crores worldwide on its debut day. Nevertheless, as soon as audience reviews and feedback began to surface, negative sentiment increased, causing the film's box office earnings to plummet. The movie has accumulated Rs 145.21 crores at the Hindi box office and approximately Rs 280 crores across India. On a global scale, the film's earnings have crossed the mark of Rs 400 crores, yet it hasn't managed to recoup its reported budget of Rs 500 crores. Despite its lackluster performance in theaters, it has secured the position of the second-highest grossing film of 2023.

RRR: Rs. 550 crores

• Star Cast: Ram Charan, N.T. Rama Rao Jr., Ajay Devgn, Alia Bhatt, Shriya Saran

• Director: S.S Rajamouli

Produced with a staggering budget of Rs. 550 crores, RRR stands out as one of the most financially lavish Indian films ever produced. It displays extravagant visuals, defy-gravity stunts, vibrant colours, lively songs, dances, and intense emotions. The creativity of the action sequences soars to dizzying heights. The film's launch was met with a staggering response, amassing Rs. 240 crores globally on its debut day alone. This notable achievement marked the highest opening-day earnings ever achieved by an Indian film. RRR further solidified its position by emerging as the highest-grossing film in its primary markets of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, accumulating an impressive sum of over Rs. 415 crores.

RRR continued its remarkable journey on the global stage, garnering an exceptional gross of Rs. 1,316 crores. In doing so, it established several remarkable box office records within Indian cinema. It clinched the title of the third highest-grossing Indian film, secured the position of the second highest-grossing Telugu film, claimed the accolade of being the highest-grossing Telugu film of 2022, and clinched the honour of being the highest-grossing Indian film worldwide in 2022.

Baahubali Series: Rs. 180 crores & Rs. 250 crores

• Star Cast: Prabhas, Rana Daggubati, Tamannaah, Anushka Shetty,

• Director: S.S Rajamouli

Baahubali series (The Beginning and The Conclusion) is an Indian epic action film crafted as a bilingual production. Filmed simultaneously in Telugu and Tamil languages, the movie marked its presence in both Tollywood and Kollywood. Carrying a hefty price tag of Rs. 180 crores, Baahubali: The Beginning was the most expensive Indian film at its release. Surpassing expectations, Baahubali: The Beginning amassed a worldwide box office gross ranging from Rs. 565.34 to Rs. 650 crores.

This triumphant feat led to it being hailed as the third highest-grossing Telugu film, the top-grossing Telugu film of 2015, and the second highest-grossing Indian film globally. Presently, it holds the distinction of being the thirteenth highest-grossing Indian film on a worldwide scale. The movie's Hindi dubbed version achieved its milestones, shattering records as the highest-grossing dubbed film in Hindi history. The second instalment follows its predecessor, serving as both a sequel and a prequel. The narrative is set against the backdrop of medieval India, delving into the intense rivalry between siblings. With an estimated budget of Rs. 250 crores, Baahubali 2 was released in Telugu, Tamil, Hindi, and Malayalam versions. Subsequently, it was also dubbed into Japanese, Russian, and Chinese languages. Distributed in traditional 2D and IMAX formats, the film achieved another milestone by becoming the first Telugu production to be presented in 4K High-Definition format.

Upon its highly anticipated release, Baahubali 2 achieved a remarkable global gross of Rs. 1,737.68 and Rs. 1,810.60 crores. The movie quickly ascended to the highest-grossing Indian film ever for a brief period, amassing a staggering Rs. 789 crores worldwide in six days following its premiere. Moreover, it etched its name in history by being the first Indian film to amass over Rs. 1,000 crores within ten days.

Conclusion

The journey through the realm of the most expensive Indian films reveals a testament to the industry's ambition, innovation, and commitment to pushing creative boundaries. From historical dramas to modern-day epics, each of these films has showcased the power of imagination and challenged the conventional norms of cinema. While financial investments of this magnitude come with their share of risks and rewards, the impact of these films transcends mere box office numbers. They symbolise the collective vision and efforts of countless individuals who strive to transport viewers into extraordinary worlds. The fusion of cutting-edge technology, exceptional storytelling, and dedicated craftsmanship has resulted in cinematic experiences that resonate far beyond their initial release.