E-Paper
This actor beat Shah Rukh Khan at box office, then gave no hits for 11 years; now has films worth ₹800 crore lined up
This actor, who once had no hits for 11 years, now has films worth ₹800 crore lined up. Know all about him.
In the ever-competitive world of the entertainment industry, where fortunes change overnight, few stories are as fascinating as that of an actor who once overshadowed the King of Bollywood, Shah Rukh Khan, at the box office but later faced an 11-year drought of hits. However, Bobby Deol roared back, and now, he has films worth ₹800 crore in the pipeline.
(Also Read: Bobby Deol reveals ‘no one took’ him seriously as an actor: Stardom doesn’t last too long, I was a star once)
Bobby Deol made his Bollywood debut with the movie Barsaat in 1995. Directed by Rajkumar Santoshi and produced by Dharmendra, the film quickly became a massive hit. According to Sacnilk, despite featuring two newcomers, the film managed to collect ₹62 lakh on its first day and ₹1.88 crore over the opening weekend. Collecting ₹33.90 crore worldwide against a budget of ₹8 crore, the film emerged as a super-hit.
How Bobby Deol beat Shah Rukh Khan at the box office
In the same year, just two weeks after the release of Barsaat, Shah Rukh Khan's romantic drama Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge also hit theatres. According to Sacnilk, the film collected only ₹55 lakh on its first day and ₹1.6 crore over the opening weekend, which was less than the collection of Bobby Deol's film.
11 Years without hits
According to Box Office India, after delivering hits like Gupt, Soldier, and Badal, Bobby Deol's career hit a roadblock. In 2000, his film Hum Toh Mohabbat Karega flopped miserably at the box office, and after that, he failed to deliver a single hit for 11 years. The majority of his films, such as Kranti, 23rd March 1931 Shaheed, Chor Machaaye Shor, Bardaasht, Ab Tumhare Hawale Watan Saathiyo, Jurm, Tango Charlie, Dosti: Friends Forever, Shaka Laka Boom Boom, Naqaab, and others, flopped at the box office, while the rest were either average or below average. However, in 2011, he achieved his much-needed hit with Yamla Pagla Deewana, but it was a multi-starrer featuring Dharmendra and Sunny Deol.
How Bobby Deol bounced back
Following Yamla Pagla Deewana, Bobby Deol again faced a series of flops before Housefull 4. However, he truly bounced back with his villainous avatar in Animal. His performance as Abrar won hearts, and the film became a massive success, collecting over ₹900 crore worldwide. He then made his Tamil debut in the Suriya-starrer Kanguva. Even though the film failed at the box office, his performance as the antagonist was widely praised. His recent release, Daaku Maharaaj, which also stars Nandamuri Balakrishna and Urvashi Rautela, collected ₹105 crore in just four days, according to the makers.
Bobby Deol's upcoming movies
The actor now has an interesting lineup of movies ahead. He will next be seen opposite Pawan Kalyan in the movie Hari Hara Veera Mallu. Bobby will essay the role of Aurangzeb in this historical action film, which is mounted on a budget of ₹200 crore, as per Telangana Today. The film also stars Nidhhi Agerwal, Nargis Fakhri, and Nora Fatehi in key roles and is scheduled to release in theatres on 28 March 2025.
He is also filming Sajid Nadiadwala's Housefull 5. Directed by Tarun Mansukhani, the film features an ensemble cast including Akshay Kumar, Riteish Deshmukh, Abhishek Bachchan, Sanjay Dutt, Fardeen Khan, Nana Patekar, Jackie Shroff, Dino Morea, Jacqueline Fernandez, Nargis Fakhri, and Sonam Bajwa, among others. According to Times Now, the film is being made on a budget of ₹375 crore.
Bobby Deol will also play the antagonist in Thalapathy Vijay's upcoming movie Jana Nayagan. The political action thriller is made on a budget of ₹300 crore, according to Economic Times. Directed by H. Vinoth and produced by KVN Productions, the film is intended to be Vijay's last film before his entry into politics. It is scheduled to release this year.
In addition, Bobby Deol will star as the antagonist in Alia Bhatt and Sharvari's female-centric YRF Spy Universe film Alpha. While the budget of the film is yet to be disclosed, it is said to be a big-budget production. With an impressive lineup of films worth over ₹800 crore, Bobby Deol is once again cementing his position in the industry.
Get more updates from Bollywood, Taylor Swift, Hollywood, Music and Web Series along with Latest Entertainment News at Hindustan Times.
