BY Christa Lincy
📰 News
Dhurandhar 2 Box Office: Rs. 1,764 Cr Without China vs Dangal's Rs. 1,305 Cr China Surge That Made the Difference
Aamir Khan's Dangal and Secret Superstar remain the primary benchmarks for Indian cinema's performance in the international market, specifically in China. These films achieved unprecedented financial milestones by tapping into a massive audience base with social dramas that resonated with local cultural values. As current blockbusters like Dhurandhar 2: The Revenge climb the global charts, the records held by these Aamir Khan-starrers highlight the impact of the Chinese market on worldwide totals.
Dangal released in China in May 2017, collected a staggering ₹ 1305.29 Cr ($203 million) in that territory alone. This propelled its worldwide collection to ₹ 2070.3 Cr, making it the highest-grossing Indian film of all time. The film's success was driven by its themes of gender equality and parental pressure, which struck a chord with Chinese audiences. It maintained a high 9.8 rating on the Maoyan platform and set a record for the highest single-day collection in China for an Indian film at ₹ 113.81 Cr.
Building on this momentum, Secret Superstar was released in China in January 2018. It opened with $7.02 million, surpassing the first-day record of Dangal. The film eventually earned ₹ 831.47 Cr overseas, contributing to a worldwide gross of ₹ 912.75 Cr. Remarkably, Secret Superstar earned more in China within its first two days than its entire lifetime collection in India. It finished 2017 as the highest overseas-grossing Bollywood film, outperforming major commercial releases like Tiger Zinda Hai.
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In terms of specific benchmarks, Secret Superstar dominated the 2017 charts by becoming the highest overseas grosser of the year, collecting $ 190 million in China alone. Its overseas performance of $ 43.16 million (excluding China) allowed it to surpass Baahubali 2: The Conclusion in several international markets during that calendar year. Globally, it ended 2017 as the highest-grossing Bollywood film, with its worldwide total far exceeding the ₹ 558 Cr net of Tiger Zinda Hai. Additionally, the film holds the record for the highest opening weekend and highest first-week collection for an Indian film in China, cementing its place as the second-highest Indian movie in the territory after Dangal.
To highlight the scale of these two films, here is a comparison of their record-breaking runs in the Chinese and global markets:
Box Office Comparison: Dangal vs Secret SuperstarMETRICDANGAL (2017)SECRET SUPERSTAR (2018)India Net Collection₹ 387.38 Cr₹ 63.40 CrChina Collection₹ 1,305.29 Cr₹ 762.19 CrOverseas (Excluding China)₹ 230.01 Cr₹ 69.28 CrTotal Worldwide Gross₹ 2,070.30 Cr₹ 912.75 CrOverseas Share (%)74.16 %91.10 %
The primary factor behind these numbers was the established trust in Aamir Khan, often referred to as Uncle Aamir in China. This following began with the success of 3 Idiots, which became a cultural phenomenon through digital platforms before its official release. Chinese audiences began to associate Khan with high-quality cinema that addresses social issues such as education and family dynamics. Additionally, Dangal's wide release across 9,000 screens and strong word-of-mouth on platforms like Weibo and Douban ensured sustained footfalls throughout its run.
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Currently, Dhurandhar 2: The Revenge is performing exceptionally well, with a worldwide gross of ₹ 1,764.15 Cr. While the film is on track to surpass Baahubali 2: The Conclusion (approximately ₹ 1,810 Cr) to become the second-highest-grossing Indian film of all time, it is unlikely to reach Dangal's top spot. The wrestling drama's ₹ 2,000 Cr-plus milestone was heavily dependent on its massive China collection, a market that Dhurandhar 2 has yet to penetrate on the same scale.
With a current worldwide gross of ₹ 1,764.15 Cr, Dhurandhar 2: The Revenge is now within reach of the lifetime collection of Baahubali 2: The Conclusion, which stands at ₹ 1,788.06 Cr. While Baahubali 2 earned ₹ 80.56 Cr ($ 11.79 M) from its China release, Dhurandhar 2 is projected to surpass its total global tally in the coming days to claim the second spot on the all-time charts. However, despite this momentum, the top position held by Aamir Khan's Dangal (₹ 2,070.3 Cr) remains out of reach. The significant difference lies in the China market contribution; while Baahubali 2 was the fifth-highest Indian grosser in China, Dangal's record was built on a massive ₹ 1,305.29 Cr share from that territory. Without a comparable release in China to bridge this gap, Dhurandhar 2 will likely conclude its run as the second most successful Indian film of all time, behind Dangal.
As of April 23, 2026, the all-time worldwide rankings for Indian cinema see Dangal at the top spot with ₹ 2,070.3 Cr, followed by Baahubali 2: The Conclusion at approximately ₹ 1,810 Cr. Dhurandhar 2: The Revenge currently holds the third position with a worldwide gross of ₹ 1,764.15 Cr. While Dhurandhar 2 has the momentum to overtake Baahubali 2 in the coming days, surpassing Dangal remains unlikely. The lack of a major China release for the sequel means it cannot replicate the ₹ 1,300 Cr+ cushion that Aamir Khan’s wrestling drama secured, leaving Dangal’s record as the highest worldwide grosser for India intact.
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