This film, not a blockbuster in India, sold over 30 crore tickets overseas, more than RRR, Dangal, Baahubali, and Pathaan combined.
When we talk about overseas success stories from Indian cinema, the mind immediately goes to recent blockbusters like RRR and Dangal that made waves in the United States and China respectively. Some would also point at Shah Rukh Khan’s stellar record with his films in Europe and the Middle East. And yet, even the combined ticket sales of some of these biggies don’t come anywhere close to what one flm achieved back in the 1980s.
India’s biggest overseas hit that sold 30 crore tickets
Jeetendra and Asha Parekh’s Caravan released in India in 1971. The film was a success, earning Rs 3.6 crore at the box office and being labelled a superhit. However, that was just act one fo the Tahir Hussain film. Eight years later, the film was released in China and it became an all-time blockbuster there, obliterating all records and selling 30 crore tickets in the country. In comparison, Aamir Khan’s Dangal – which set earning records in the country in 2018 – sold 4.5 crore tickets in the country. With this, Caravan also overtook Raj Kapoor’s Awara as India’s biggest overseas hit. Awara had sold over 20 crore tickets overseas courtesy huge runs in both China and Soviet Union.
How Caravan’s overseas success dwarfs modern blockbusters
Caravan earned around Rs 31 crore in China in 1979. Adjusted for inflation, this figure would be over Rs 1000 crore in today’s times. If ticket prices are adjusted for today’s rates, the figure may just reach over Rs 3000 crore. In comparison, Dangal earned Rs 1300 crore overseas, while Pathaan and RRR both earned just under Rs 400 crore. Baahubali 2, one of the biggest overseas hits, earned Rs 425 crore overseas. None of these come close to what Caravan achieved.
Caravan’s cultural impact
Funnily enough, Caravan was not a hugely significant film in India. It was only the sixth-highest-grossing Indian film of 1971 and had bigger films like Haathi Mere Saathi, Mera Gaon Mera Desh, and Hare Rama Hare Krishna out-earning it. But in China, the film remains culturally significant. It was directed by Tahir Hussain, the father of Aamir Khan. In 2018, when Aamir was in China to promote Dangal and Secret Superstar, he said that people told him Caravan is still fondly remembered there.
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 "This film sold 30 crore tickets in China")
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