Ramayana Part 1 Box Office: Why Ranbir Kapoor Starrer Has A Real Shot At 2,000 Crore Worldwide

BY SUNIT JANGIR

Mumbai, August 8 - The 2000 crore worldwide mark remains one of the most elusive milestones in Indian cinema. Aamir Khan's sports biopic Dangal is the only Indian film to have crossed this barrier, but there is an important caveat to that historic run: more than half of the film's worldwide gross came from China, with 1300+ crore gross. The Chinese market delivered an extraordinary response to Dangal, turning it into a once-in-a-generation box-office phenomenon, but China is not a regular theatrical market for Indian films. That makes the 2000 crore benchmark even more difficult to replicate. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}) In recent years, however, Indian cinema has started getting closer to that number without depending on a China phenomenon. Director Aditya Dhar's Dhurandhar 2 came remarkably close, emerging as one of the biggest Indian blockbusters ever with a worldwide gross of more than 1800 crore. The Ranveer Singh-led action entertainer demonstrated that an Indian film can come within striking distance of Dangal through the conventional domestic and overseas markets. Yet, despite its extraordinary run, Dhurandhar 2 ultimately couldn't touch the 2000 crore milestone, leaving the record intact. This is where Ramayana comes into play. The Ranbir Kapoor, Sai Pallavi and Yash starrer has several advantages that could make it a genuine contender for the 2000 crore club, but perhaps the biggest one is its international distribution strategy. The film is being released internationally by Sony Pictures, arguably one of the biggest and most powerful film distribution companies in the world. This could give Ramayana an unprecedented opportunity to reach audiences outside India. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}) According to reports, Sony Pictures is planning to release Ramayana across more than 50,000 screens internationally. If that rollout materialises, it would easily be the widest international theatrical release ever for an Indian film by a considerable margin. The significance of this cannot be overstated. Indian films have traditionally relied heavily on diaspora audiences overseas, with relatively limited screen penetration compared with Hollywood event films. Ramayana could potentially change that model. The scale of the international release could also help the film overcome one of the biggest challenges in its two thousand crore pursuit. Unlike Dangal, Ramayana cannot be expected to receive an enormous China boost. Instead, it will need to maximise revenue across established Indian-film markets as well as territories where Indian cinema is still expanding. A distribution giant like Sony Pictures gives the film the infrastructure, market access and theatrical reach to attempt exactly that. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}) The domestic side is equally promising. Ranbir Kapoor gives Ramayana a strong Hindi-market foundation, while Yash brings enormous pan-India popularity. More importantly, the Ramayana itself is arguably one of the most recognisable stories to emerge from India, giving the film an advantage that very few original or franchise properties can match. Dhurandhar 2 proved that an Indian film can get within roughly 200 crore of Dangal's worldwide record without relying on a China phenomenon. Ramayana, meanwhile, could have an even bigger international theatrical footprint thanks to Sony Pictures and a reported 50,000-plus overseas screens. Of course, a massive release does not automatically guarantee a massive box office. Ramayana will still need excellent audience reception, strong word of mouth and exceptional legs to turn its enormous release scale into actual revenue. But for the first time, the infrastructure appears to be in place for an Indian film to genuinely attempt this. Dangal set the 2,000 crore benchmark. Dhurandhar 2 came remarkably close but couldn't finish the job. Now, Ramayana has the opportunity to take the next big step. If the film lives up to its enormous pre-release expectations, the combination of the epic story, star power, scale and strong distribution power could make the barrier a very real target rather than just a distant box-office dream.

BY SUNIT JANGIR

Mumbai, August 8 - Marvel Studios and Sony Pictures' Spider-Man: Brand New Day is on the verge of creating history at the Indian box office. The Tom Holland-led superhero film has already emerged as one of the biggest Hollywood blockbusters ever in the country and is now expected to become the highest-grossing non-Indian film in India by the end of its second weekend. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}) Spider-Man: Brand New Day has grossed approximately 418.25 crore in India after its second Friday, completing nine days at the box office. The film continues to show strong momentum in its second week, despite facing competition from new releases. With the film maintaining its pace, the next major target is Avengers: Endgame, which currently holds the second position among the highest-grossing Hollywood films in India with a lifetime gross of around 445 crore. The fourth Tom Holland-led solo Spider-Man movie is expected to cross Avengers: Endgame on its second Saturday itself. Once that milestone is achieved, Brand New Day will have only one major target left — Avatar: The Way of Water. James Cameron's 2022 blockbuster has collected approximately 477.50 crore gross in India, and the current trajectory suggests that Spider-Man 4 could overtake that figure by Sunday, giving it the all-time non-Indian box-office record in the country. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}) The second weekend is turning out to be equally historic. The film is expected to collect 80 crore or more gross during its second weekend, which would be a record second weekend for a non-Indian film in India. The remarkable hold is particularly significant considering the film has already delivered a gigantic opening week and is now sustaining exceptional audience demand in its second week. If the film crosses the 477.50 crore mark by Sunday, Brand New Day is also expected to breach the 500 crore gross milestone before the second week ends, which will be a first instance for a foreign movie. It would also underline the extraordinary theatrical pull of Tom Holland's Spider-Man franchise in the Indian market, following the phenomenal performance of Spider-Man: No Way Home, which is currently the fifth biggest grosser. The bigger question now is how far Spider-Man: Brand New Day can go. With the 500 crore gross milestone firmly within reach, the film could potentially create a new benchmark that may remain extremely difficult for another Hollywood release to challenge until Avengers: Doomsday, which arrives in December this year with the potential to shatter almost every record at the Indian box office for Hollywood.

BY SUNIT JANGIR

Mumbai, August 8 - The Indian audience has long embraced Hollywood films, but the last few years have seen a significant surge in their box office dominance. Ever since the release of Avengers: Infinity War in 2018, Hollywood blockbusters have not only challenged but often outperformed major Indian films, and now, Hollywood is set to open its account in 500 crores club at the domestic box office with Spider-Man: Brand New Day. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}) The turning point, however, came much earlier with Jurassic World (2015), which became the first Hollywood title to cross the 100 crore net mark in India — a milestone few expected a non-Indian film to achieve at the time. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, only seven Hollywood films had managed to breach the 100 crore net barrier in India. However, the post-pandemic era has rewritten the rulebook. With cinema habits evolving and audiences increasingly drawn to global content, sixteen more Hollywood films have joined the 100 crore club in India after theatres reopened. In total, 23 Hollywood films have now achieved this memorable feat of 100 crore net - a testament to their growing influence over the cinema-loving Indian audience. Highest-Grossing Hollywood Films in India S. No. Movie Year Total India Net Collection 1 Avatar: The Way of Water 2022 ₹ 391.40 Cr 2 Avengers: Endgame 2019 ₹ 373.05 Cr 3 Spider-Man: Brand New Day* 2026 ₹ 349.75 Cr 4 Avengers: Infinity War 2018 ₹ 227.30 Cr 5 Spider-Man: No Way Home 2021 ₹ 219.00 Cr 6 The Jungle Book 2016 ₹ 188.00 Cr 7 Avatar: Fire & Ash 2025 ₹ 163.60 Cr 8 The Lion King 2019 ₹ 159.10 Cr 9 Mufasa: The Lion King 2024 ₹ 137.85 Cr 10 Deadpool & Wolverine 2024 ₹ 136.15 Cr Note: Data as of August 7, 2026 (* running). Stay tuned...

BY SUNIT JANGIR

Mumbai, August 8 - Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey has officially entered the coveted $1 billion club at the worldwide box office, becoming the fifth movie of 2026 and the 65th movie of all-time to do so. The epic adventure, headlined by Matt Damon, Tom Holland, Anne Hathaway and Zendaya, has continued its extraordinary run despite entering its third week and facing strong competition from Spider-Man: Brand New Day. The milestone also makes The Odyssey Nolan's first $1 billion grosser since The Dark Knight Rises in 2012. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}) Backed by Universal Pictures, The Odyssey has grossed $430 million domestically (North America) and $570 million internationally through the 4th Thursday, becoming Nolan's first non-Batman billion-dollar grosser. The film opened significantly higher than Nolan's previous blockbuster Oppenheimer, which eventually finished its theatrical run with around $976 million worldwide. Strong word of mouth, premium-format screenings and especially IMAX have played a major role in keeping The Odyssey on an exceptional trajectory. India has emerged as one of the film's strongest international markets. The Odyssey is now closing in on the 200 crore India gross milestone, an extraordinary result for a Hollywood epic in the country. The film had already crossed 192 crore gross ($20 million) in India by Day 22. It is expected to enter the 200 crore club by the 4th Sunday to become Nolan's first blockbuster to achieve the milestone. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}) The India performance is another major achievement for Nolan, whose films have consistently developed a strong theatrical following in the country. It was one of the very few countries Nolan, along with Matt Damon and Tom Holland, visited for the premiere and promotions. The Odyssey has benefited enormously from the IMAX experience, with audiences turning out for the film's large-scale visuals and practical filmmaking. With the $1 billion worldwide milestone now secured and the 200 crore India gross target within touching distance, The Odyssey has established itself as one of the defining theatrical blockbusters of 2026. More importantly, its success reinforces Christopher Nolan's unique ability to turn original, non-franchise filmmaking into a global box office event. After Oppenheimer came remarkably close to the billion-dollar mark, The Odyssey has now gone one step further and delivered Nolan another billion-dollar blockbuster on the biggest possible scale.

BY SUNIT JANGIR

Highest-Grossing $1 Billion Movies Worldwide Rank Movie Release Year Worldwide Gross 1Avatar2009$2.923 Billion 2Avengers: Endgame2019$2.799 Billion 3Avatar: The Way of Water2022$2.334 Billion 4Titanic1997$2.264 Billion 5Ne Zha 22025$2.260 Billion 6Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens2015$2.071 Billion 7Avengers: Infinity War2018$2.052 Billion 8Spider-Man: No Way Home2021$1.921 Billion 9Zootopia 22025$1.866 Billion 10Inside Out 22024$1.698 Billion 11Jurassic World2015$1.671 Billion 12The Lion King (2019 Remake)2019$1.662 Billion 13The Avengers2012$1.520 Billion 14Furious 72015$1.515 Billion 15Top Gun: Maverick2022$1.503 Billion 16Avatar: Fire and Ash2025$1.480 Billion 17Frozen II2019$1.453 Billion 18Barbie2023$1.445 Billion 19The Super Mario Bros. Movie2023$1.361 Billion 20Black Panther2018$1.349 Billion 21Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 22011$1.342 Billion 22Star Wars: Episode VIII – The Last Jedi2017$1.334 Billion 23Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom2018$1.310 Billion 24Deadpool & Wolverine2024$1.300 Billion 25Frozen2013$1.285 Billion 26Beauty and the Beast (Live Action)2017$1.266 Billion 27Incredibles 22018$1.243 Billion 28The Fate of the Furious2017$1.236 Billion 29Iron Man 32013$1.214 Billion 30Minions2015$1.159 Billion 31Captain America: Civil War2016$1.155 Billion 32Aquaman2018$1.152 Billion 33Moana 22025$1.150+ Billion 34The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King2003$1.147 Billion 35Spider-Man: Far From Home2019$1.131 Billion 36Captain Marvel2019$1.131 Billion 37Transformers: Dark of the Moon2011$1.123 Billion 38Skyfall2012$1.108 Billion 39Transformers: Age of Extinction2014$1.104 Billion 40Jurassic Park1993$1.104 Billion 41The Dark Knight Rises2012$1.084 Billion 42Star Wars: Episode IX – The Rise of Skywalker2019$1.077 Billion 43Joker2019$1.074 Billion 44Toy Story 42019$1.073 Billion 45Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest2006$1.066 Billion 46Toy Story 32010$1.066 Billion 47Rogue One: A Star Wars Story2016$1.058 Billion 48Aladdin (Live Action)2019$1.054 Billion 49Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides2011$1.046 Billion 50Despicable Me 32017$1.034 Billion 51The Lion King: Mufasa2025$1.050+ Billion 52Finding Dory2016$1.028 Billion 53Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace1999$1.027 Billion 54Alice in Wonderland (Live Action)2010$1.025 Billion 55Zootopia2016$1.025 Billion 56The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey2012$1.017 Billion 57The Dark Knight2008$1.006 Billion 58Jurassic World Dominion2022$1.001 Billion 59Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone2001$1.001 Billion 60Lilo & Stitch (Live Action)2025$1.001 Billion 61The Super Mario Galaxy Movie2026$1.009 Billion 62Michael2026$1.01 Billion 63Toy Story 52026$1.02 Billion 64Spider-Man: Brand New Day2026$1.15+ Billion 65The Odyssey2026$1+ Billion Data as of August 7, 2026 (Data courtesy - Deadline and Box Office Mojo)

BY SUNIT JANGIR

Bengaluru, August 8 - Rocking Star Yash's highly-anticipated Toxic: A Fairy Tale for Grown-Ups is set to enter its next major promotional phase with the launch of its theatrical trailer. After months of anticipation and multiple changes to its release schedule, the makers are finally ready to showcase the film's full-fledged trailer to audiences, following teasers and songs that have generated massive curiosity and online debates. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}) Toxic Trailer Release Date and Timing The Toxic trailer will be unveiled on Saturday, August 8, 2026. It will be launched at 7:01 PM in the evening after an exclusive screening for the media and trade people. The trailer launch is being organised as a major event in Bengaluru, with the film's team and media expected to attend. Where Will Toxic Trailer Launch Take Place? The trailer will be launched at a grand event in Bengaluru, keeping Yash's strong connection with the Kannada film industry and the scale of Toxic's promotional campaign in mind. The event is expected to bring together Yash, director Geetu Mohandas and other members of the cast and crew. The Bengaluru launch is particularly significant as Toxic is being positioned as a pan-Indian and global theatrical event, shot in Kannada and English. The film is being released in Kannada, Hindi, English, Telugu, Tamil and Malayalam, with the makers aiming for a wide worldwide rollout. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}) Toxic Release Date Following multiple postponements, Toxic is now scheduled to release worldwide in cinemas on August 26, 2026. The film was earlier slated for March 19 and subsequently June 4 before the makers pushed it to a later date while working on its global distribution strategy. The August 26 date is now the officially announced theatrical release date. Directed by Geetu Mohandas and headlined by Yash, Toxic also stars Kiara Advani, Nayanthara, Huma Qureshi, Tara Sutaria and Rukmini Vasanth. The gangster action drama is one of the most anticipated Indian releases of 2026 and marks Yash's first major theatrical release after the blockbuster KGF: Chapter 2. With the trailer arriving on August 8 and the film reaching cinemas on August 26, the makers have less than three weeks to build the final wave of hype. The trailer will therefore be crucial in establishing the film's world, characters, action scale and overall tone before Toxic begins its theatrical journey.