Meet the only Indian actor with two pan-India films in the ₹1,000 cr club, not Shah Rukh Khan, Vicky Kaushal, Allu Arjun

Mint

3 hours ago

Star power remains one of the strongest indicators of success in the Indian film industry. A recent example is Salman Khan. Despite Sikandar receiving underwhelming reviews, fans still flocked to theatres, proving the power of Salman's stardom. This brings us to the only Indian actor who has achieved a box office feat that even superstars like Shah Rukh Khan, Vicky Kaushal, and Allu Arjun haven't. With not one, but two pan-India films crossing the ₹ 1,000 crore mark globally, this icon has set a record in the industry.
It is none other than Prabhas.
With Baahubali 2: The Conclusion and Kalki 2898 AD, Prabhas has carved a place for himself in Indian cinema history, earning the title of the undisputed pan-India superstar.
While Shah Rukh Khan, Allu Arjun, and Vicky Kaushal are among the biggest actors in Indian cinema, none of them technically have two pan-India films that have each crossed the ₹ 1,000 crore mark worldwide like Prabhas.
Shah Rukh Khan's Pathaan and Jawan were massive blockbusters of 2023, crossing ₹ 1,000 crore globally. However, Shah Rukh is still not the only Indian actor with two pan-India films in the ₹ 1,000 crore club.
This is because, although both films did cross ₹ 1,000 crore globally, they were primarily Hindi-language films with dubbed versions in other languages. Hence, they don't qualify as true-blue pan-India multilingual releases like Prabhas's films, which were not only shot but also marketed in multiple languages.
Similarly, Allu Arjun's Pushpa: The Rise was a huge success during a lull period at the box office. As per Sacnilk, the film crossed the ₹ 350 crore mark worldwide but failed to reach the ₹ 500 crore milestone. Its sequel, Pushpa 2: The Rule, became the fastest Indian movie to cross the ₹ 1,000 crore mark at the worldwide box office, the tracker reported. However, it is the only film of the actor to have crossed that milestone.
As for Vicky Kaushal, although he starred in blockbusters like Uri: The Surgical Strike and Sanju, his latest, Chaava, didn't cross the threshold despite an impressive business at the box office, raking in ₹ 807.88 crore.
Released in 2017, Baahubali 2 became a cultural phenomenon. With its breathtaking visuals, grand storytelling, and Prabhas's powerful portrayal of Amarendra and Mahendra Baahubali, the film shattered records, collecting over ₹ 1,788 crore worldwide and ₹ 1,030.42 crore in India, as per Sacnilk. It marked a turning point in Indian cinema, proving regional films' potential on the global stage.
Last year, he replicated the success with Kalki 2898 AD alongside Deepika Padukone, Amitabh Bachchan, and Kamal Haasan. The futuristic sci-fi epic, directed by Nag Ashwin, brought Prabhas back into the spotlight. Based on the Mahabharata with science fiction elements, Kalki was a visual spectacle and a magnum opus in itself. Within weeks, it joined the ₹ 1,000 crore club, earning ₹ 1,042.25 crore worldwide and ₹ 646.31 crore in India, according to Sacnilk.
Friday marks 1 year since the release of Kalki.
Kalki revolved around the epic tale of Lord Krishna cursing Ashwatthama to eternal suffering, only for destiny to set him on a path of redemption by protecting the woman carrying the final avatar of Vishnu, Kalki.
The Kalki 2898 AD sequel starring Prabhas is already in the works.
The film ended with a title card announcing the Kalki 2898 AD Cinematic Universe. Confirming the sequel, it read: 'To be continued…'
Besides Kalki, Prabhas has several projects lined up.
He will be starring in the romantic horror comedy The Raaja Saab. Directed by Maruthi, Prabhas plays a triple role in the film. It also features Nidhhi Agerwal, Malavika Mohanan, Riddhi Kumar, and Sanjay Dutt.
He also has Hanu Raghavapudi's directorial Fauji as his next. The actor was also roped in for Sandeep Reddy Vanga's upcoming film Spirit, which would have reunited him with Deepika Padukone. However, the actress has now been replaced by Triptii Dimri.
Last but not the least, Prabhas is also a part of Prasanth Varma's upcoming Brahmarakshas.