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Bollywood's BIGGEST Hits of 2018

Last updated on: January 04, 2019 12:14 IST

These films ruled the box office!

The year 2018 saw quite a few unexpected flops. 

The Khans had a dry run -- Salman's Race 3, Aamir's Thugs Of Hindostan and Shah Rukh's Zero failed -- but there were other surprise successes.

Joginder Tuteja looks at the biggest hits of 2018.

Note: All collections as per production and distribution sources.

 

Sanju
Box office collection: Rs 342.53 crore

When Rajkumar Hirani joined hands with Ranbir Kapoor to make a biopic on Sanjay Dutt, the idea sounded intriguing.

The film got largely good reviews, but looked like a 'whitewash' exercise to clean up Dutt's image.

Nonetheless, audiences gave this one a thumbs up and the film emerged as an all-time blockbuster.

 

Padmaavat
Box office collection: Rs 302.15 crore

Sanjay Leela Bhansali's magnum opus may have been the biggest grosser of the year had it not had a fractured and delayed release.

Thanks to controversies plaguing the project, the film did not see an all-India release and needed police protection in its early days.

Still, audiences braved up to the theatres and ensured that Bhansali's labour of love with Deepika Padukone, Ranveer Singh and Shahid Kapur paid off.

 

Simmba
Box office collection: Rs 225 crore (expected)

The Rohit Shetty-Ranveer Singh combo paid off in a big way and, as things stand today, a lifetime total in excess of Rs 225 crore is a given.

 

2.0 (Hindi)
Box office collection: Rs 190 crore

Shankar's 2.0 was in the making for a long time and saw quite a few delays before its release.

But when it did come out, it did so in style. The Hindi version took off in a big way and grew from strength to strength.

While Rajinikanth remains a major draw down South, Akshay Kumar ensured that the film fared well in the Hindi-speaking belt.

 

Baaghi 2
Box office collection: Rs 166 crore

Everyone knew Baaghi 2 would open bigger than the first instalment and enter the Rs 100 crore club.

But its fantastic start made everyone sit up and take notice.

Tiger Shroff, who had two flops behind him (Munna Michael and A Flying Jatt), producer Sajid Nadiadwala and director Ahmed Khan broke box office records.

 

Badhaai Ho
Box office collection: Rs 138 crore

On a regular Friday, a film like Badhaai Ho would have made a lifetime revenue of Rs 40 crore.

But this Amit Sharma film crossed the Rs 100 crore benchmark and emerged a huge blockbuster.

It's clearly Ayushmann Khurrana's year as far as experimental cinema goes.

 

Stree
Box office collection: Rs 130 crore

Like Badhaai Ho, Stree could have had a lifetime revenue of Rs 40-50 crore and be declared a success.

But this Rajkummar Rao and Shraddha Kapoor starrer broke all barriers to emerge as the highest grosser ever in the horror-comedy genre.

Produced by Dinesh Vijan and Raj & DK, Stree is a blockbuster.

 

Raazi
Box office collection: Rs 124 crore

Raazi is the highest grossing female-centric film ever made.

Producer Karan Johar and director Meghna Gulzar ensured that audiences were glued to the suspense drama right through.

Amazing performances by the cast, especially Alia Bhatt, also helped.


Sonu Ke Titu Ki Sweety
Box office collection: Rs 109 crore

After the success of the Pyaar Ka Punchnama series, the team of director Luv Ranjan and actors Kartik Aryan, Nushrat Bharucha and Sunny Singh got together to entertain the audience all over again.

Sonu Ke Titu Ki Sweety was a pleasant surprise since it also drew in the family audiences.

 

Gold
Box office collection: Rs 105 crore

If Gold had not released alongside Satyameva Jayate, it could have covered a larger distance.

Akshay Kumar gave his heart and soul to this sports drama, directed by Reema Kagti.

It was a story waiting to be told and, though the film went past the Rs 100 crore mark, it deserved a larger audience.

 

Raid 
Box office collection: Rs 
103.07 crore

Ajay Devgn had just one release in 2018 and he scored a century with it.

Raid was a well-made film and director Raj Kumar Gupta ensured that he took a step ahead of his earlier film, No One Killed Jessica.

Based on a real life story, this film got interesting every time Devgn came face-to-face with the antagonist, Saurabh Shukla.

Joginder Tuteja