2016 was a great year for Bollywood movies as far as good content is concerned. While the Khans still upheld their position, new talent was welcomed and appreciated too. I don’t believe box- office collections truly define the worth of a movie because I have watched, some of the best I have ever seen, the life-changing ones, struggle at box-office. But they do give an idea of what managed to win the hearts of the audience, which is kind of the sole motive.

Here is a list of 15 bollywood movies that did really well at the box-office this year.

15. Udta Punjab (57.61 crore)

This movie highlights the sad affairs of a state lost in the vicious circle of drugs. It shows the hard realities of how drugs are smuggled from across the border, the ruthless people behind this business and the fate of its victims by majorly tracking the journey of individuals, Tommy Singh (Shahid Kapoor), Sartaj Singh (Diljit Dosanjh), Dr. Preet Sahni (Kareena Kapoor Khan) and Mary Jane (Alia Bhatt) whose lives are deeply affected by this menace. This movie faced a lot of controversies due to some content which did not deem fit to the censor board and yet managed to make it to this list by making a collection of about 57.61 crore.

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14. Dear Zindagi (61 Crore)

Kaira is a budding cinematographer in search of a perfect life. Her encounter with Jug, an unconventional thinker, helps her gain a new perspective on life. She discovers that happiness is all about finding comfort in life’s imperfections. This, simple yet great, movie made about 61 crore at the box-office.

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13. Kapoor & Sons (61.3 Crore)

This is a story about the not-so-perfect Kapoor family as they go through issues or situations one would face in their everyday life that many families will relate to, be it the problems in couple or sibling relationships or the pressure many kids face from his/her family to be perfect, successful and everything great. No dark secrets here, but the shock value is definitely there. This one was spontaneous, precise, fast paced and well…one of the most lovable bollywood movies. This fantastic family drama made about 61.3 crore at the box-office.

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12. Pink (63.21 Crore)

The story revolves around three young working women based in Delhi. A bad twist of events involving a few young men with powerful political ties has them caught in a web of social stigma, law-and-order problem leading to an arrest and finally a showdown in the courtroom.

This movie keeps the audience guessing about the outcome every minute, while simultaneously engaging them in a conversation about contemporary society. Pink is about the patriarchal mindset which looks at independent women capable of making the same choices as independent, enfranchised men, as ‘loose’ or ‘characterless’. It had a risky plot which was widely accepted by the audience earning about Rs. 63.21 Crore.

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11. Dishoom (67 Crore)

Dishoom is a 2016 Indian action comedy film written and directed by Rohit Dhawan. The film stars Varun Dhawan, Jacqueline Fernandez, John Abraham, Saqib Saleem and Akshaye Khanna. Dishoom rejigs the buddy cop movie, with John Abraham and Varun Dhawan being assigned to the “Case Of A Vanishing Indian Cricketer”. The film was released worldwide on 29 July 2016, and became a commercial success with about Rs. 67 crore box-office collection.

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10. Neerja (75.61 Crore)

Neerja is a biographical film based on the life of a 22-year-old Mumbai girl who was a flight Attendant and, later on, became the youngest girl to receive India’s second highest gallantry award Ashok Chakra when she, with her utmost bravery, risked her own life and saved 300 passengers in a hijacked flight. Sonam Kapoor has portrayed this lively character of Neerja Bhanot. Not only in India, but it also stormed the overseas market with record breaking numbers. The lifetime collections of Neerja in India have been about Rs. 75.61 crore.

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9. Baaghi (75.17 Crore)

Directed by Heropanti (2014) famed Sabbir Khan, Baaghi is an action-thriller featuring Tiger Shroff and Shraddha Kapoor in the main leads. The story of Baaghi revolves around two rebels, who falls in love with each other. South Indian actor Sudheer Babu is portraying the negative character in the film which is filled with some hardcore action sequences by Tiger and Shraddha. Despite its negative reviews, the film has really done fantastic business at the domestic box office. Made with the budget of around Rs 47 crore, Baaghi has done a box-office collection of about 75.17 crores.

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8. Fan (83.25 Crore)

In a world of labels, it’s easy to forget who made sportsmen, pop singers and matinee idols into stars and superstars – it’s the fans. Every fan has their own personal relationship with their hero – it’s almost like a love story. Fan was one of the most awaited bollywood movies of the year featuring Shah Rukh Khan in dual characters of superstar Aryan Khanna and his biggest fan Gaurav Chandna who looks alike him. Directed by Maneesh Sharma, Fan is produced by Yash Raj Films. Made with the budget of around Rs 105 crore, Fan has finished its box office lifetime run with Rs 83.25 crore, which are shocking numbers for a Shah Rukh Khan film. Shahrukh’s finest performance is mostly what makes the movie charming and a must watch.

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7. Shivaay (87.25 Crore)

This movie may have struggled a bit at the box office if we compare it to some of the amazing reviews it has got on any websites. Same release date as that of Ae Dil hai Mushkil is believed to be one of the reasons. But it is a brilliantly shot action thriller in which Devgan, much like Liam Neeson in The Taken Series, is a wounded, aching, disturbed father who has lost his 8-year-old daughter to a human trafficking barbaric group. He break all rules, do whatever he can – be it a jailbreak or killing people if needed, to save his only child.

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6. Ae Dil hai Mushkil (107.25 Crore)

Karan Johar’s directorial Ae Dil Hai Mushkil is a romantic-drama ft. Ranbir Kapoor, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Anushka Sharma in the main leads. It has taken a fantastic start at the box office and currently on 6th position in this list. The film stars Ranbir Kapoor, Anushka Sharma, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Fawad Khan who all did a great job. There is much to love, appreciate and cherish in Ae Dil Hai Mushkil. The super-melodramatic pitch at which ADHM operates is reminiscent of an older kind of larger-than-life bollywood movies that Karan Johar continuously references in the film.

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5. Housefull 3 (107.54 Crore)

Housefull 3 is the third installment of super hit comedy franchise of Housefull (2010). This Sajid-Farhad directorial has been made with the budget of around Rs. 85 crore and as per the expectations, it took furious start at the box office and collected Rs. 107.54 crore. The film is a romantic comedy and it revolves around three men who fall in love with the ‘oh-so-sanskari’ daughters of Batook Patel (Boman Irani), who are ‘not so sanskari’ in real.

As it’s a franchise of Housefull, ‘a series of confusion and lies’ are an unavoidable part of the story. Now, how the three convince Batook that they are a perfect match for his daughters, forms the crux of the story.

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4. M.S. Dhoni: The Untold Story (121 Crore)

M.S. Dhoni: The Untold Story is a biopic of Indian Cricket History’s most successful captain Mahenrda Singh Dhoni, all about his struggle and hard work. The film is directed by Neeraj Pandey, who has acclaimed for his work in films like Baby (2015) and Special 26 (2013). This biographical sports film was loved by the audience and did well at Box-office too and became the second highest non-holiday opening film of the year, earned 21 Cr on releasing day 30th September.

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3. Airlift (123.43 Crore)

This film is related to the World’s biggest evacuation of Indian citizens who were stuck in Kuwait during the war between Iraq and Kuwait. Indian Government, with the help of Indian Airlines, airlifted more than 1,70,000 Indians with the commercial airplanes from the war zone. Akshay Kumar has played the character of an Indian based NRI businessman Ranjit Katyal, who helped in evacuating people. Made with the budget of around Rs 30 crore, Airlift became the first film of 2016 that crossed the 100 crore mark. In the domestic circuit, the film has finished its lifetime business of Rs 123.43 crore that is a whopping figure for this moderately budgeted film.

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2. Rustom (123.88 Crore)

Rustom is basically based on a real life event. Akshay Kumar is playing the character of a Naval Officer who kills his wife’s boyfriend and pleads not guilty. The jury weighs its options and declares it an accidental death. The decorated navy commander walks scot-free.

But there’s more to the case than what meets the eyes. The only person who knows what exactly is the missing link is Rustom Pavri, the accused standing in the witness box.

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1. Sultan (300.1 Crore)

Sultan is a romantic action & drama movie based on wrestling. Salman Khan has played the main character of Haryana-based wrestler Sultan Ali Khan and Anushka Sharma is playing her leading lady in the film. Sultan took a massive opening on the first two days with Rs 73.74 crores. By the end of 35th day, Sultan has entered the 300 crore club of bollywood movies and became the 3rd Bollywood film to do so.

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Last Updated on September 10, 2023 by Steffy Michael