On Women’s Day 2023, a look back at the top-10 highest-grossing Bollywood films with female leads
While women-led films have minted money in India for decades (remember Mother India), over the last few years, an increasing number of films with female leads have breached the 100-crore barrier. On Women's Day 2023, we take a look at the top-10 highest-grossing Bollywood films with female leads.
1. Secret Superstar (Zaira Wasim)
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Secret Superstar is one of the highest-grossing Indian films ever with a whopping worldwide gross of Rs 913 crore. The catch is that 90% of this haul comes from overseas, chiefly China. The film was successful domestically too, earning Rs 63 crore in India.
2. Tanu Weds Manu Returns (Kangana Ranaut)
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Tanu Weds Manu Returns remains the highest-grossing woman-led film in India with a domestic haul of over Rs 150 crore. The total worldwide gross of this Kangana Ranaut-starrer is Rs 258 crore.
3. Hichki (Rani Mukerji)
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Buoyed by a blockbuster run in China, Rani Mukerji's social dramedy Hichki earned a solid Rs 236 crore worldwide, which included a healthy Rs 46 crore domestic net earning as well.
4. Gangubai Kathiawadi (Alia Bhatt)
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Gangubai Kathiawadi succeeded at a time when most Bollywood films weren't working too well post-pandemic, amassing Rs 132 crore net across India and Rs 211 crore gross worldwide.
5. Raazi (Alia Bhatt)
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Alia Bhatt's Raazi was a sleeper hit. The Meghna Gulzar-directed spy thriller earned Rs 195 crore gross worldwide despite a slow opening as it grew by wod of mouth.
6. Manikarnika (Kangana Ranaut)
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Mounted on a high budget, the historical Manikarnika - The Queen of Jhansi established Kangana Ranaut as the pre-eminent female star in Bollywood at the time. The film raked in Rs 142 crore worldwide.
7. Veere Di Wedding (Kareena Kapoor, Sonam Kapoor)
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Bollywood's answer to Sex and the City, Veere Di Wedding celebrted female friendships and worked its way to success at the box office. Starring Kareena Kapoor, Sonam Kapoor, Swara Bhasker, and Shikha Talsania, the film earned Rs 140 crore worldwide.
8. Dear Zindagi (Alia Bhatt)
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Dear Zindagi did benefit from the extended cameo by Shah Rukh Khan which helped market the film better. But regardless, its Rs 136-crore haul proved that young Alia Bhatt could succeed at the box office.
9. Neerja (Sonam Kapoor)
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In Neerja, Sonam Kapoor delivered the first solo superhit of her career and also won laurels for her performance. The real-life-inspired thriller made Rs 120 crore globally and Rs 75 crore in India alone.
10. The Dirty Picture (Vidya Balan)
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Vidya Balan's vivacious turn in The Dirty Picture - the unofficial biopic of 80s' screen siren Silk Smitha - was successfully critically as well as commercially. Th efilm made Rs 116 crore worldwide.
