Shah Rukh Khan’s "Jawan" Surpasses "Pathaan" to Become Top Indian Film of the Year

Shah Rukh Khan has beaten Shah Rukh Khan at the box office. The Bollywood star’s latest film “Jawan” has sped past his own “Pathaan” to occupy the box office top spot among the Indian films of 2023.

“Jawan,” featuring Khan in a dual role as a father and son who set out to rectify corruption in Indian society, opened on September 7 and shattered the star’s own Bollywood opening day record. It now has a total of $130.3 million, according to numbers released by producer Red Chillies Entertainment, besting “Pathaan,” which opened in January and concluded its run with $126 million.

In third place on the 2023 Indian box office chart, behind the two Khan vehicles, are Sunny Deol’s “Gadar 2” with $83 million, Rajinikanth’s “Jailer” with $78.2 million, and Karan Johar’s “Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani” with $42.8 million.

In the all-time Indian box office pantheon, “Jawan” and “Pathaan” now occupy fifth and sixth places respectively. Aamir Khan’s “Dangal” (2016) retains the top spot with $244 million (which includes more than $190 million from China), followed by S.S. Rajamouli’s “Baahubali 2: The Conclusion” (2017, $219 million) “RRR” (2022, $159 million), and Prashant Neel’s “K.G.F: Chapter 2” (2022, $151 million).

Neel’s “Salaar,” headlined by “Baahubali” star Prabhas, will be pitted against Khan’s next picture “Dunki,” directed by Rajkumar Hirani, during the Christmas holiday frame, with both films currently due to release on December 22. “Salaar” belongs to the action genre, while “Dunki” is a comedy-drama.

Hirani has been a consistent hitmaker with his blockbuster films that include the “Munna Bhai” franchise with Sanjay Dutt and Arshad Warsi, “Sanju” with Ranbir Kapoor, and “PK” and “3 Idiots,” both starring Aamir Khan. “PK” and “Sanju” sit at ninth and 15th positions respectively in India’s all-time box office chart.

Meanwhile, the Bollywood audience is displaying an appetite for comedy with Excel Entertainment’s franchise film “Fukrey 3” scoring a respectable $6.6 million opening over the weekend, with the promise of a bumper Monday, which is a holiday in India on the occasion of Gandhi’s birthday.