This superstar gave two of the biggest box office bombs in Indian cinema history but his stardom remained untouched
Stardom can be fickle, in cinema at least. One moment, an actor can be on top of the world, ruling the masses. And just a few months later, after a spate of flops, they can be outcasts from the industry. This particular story, however, is the opposite. It talks of a superstar who never lost that sheen despite a string of flops, some of the biggest ever. And against all odds, he managed to win that superstar status back.
The superstar who gave India’s two biggest flops
Prabhas is arguably the biggest pan-India star of the new generation. The actor was already a big name in the Telugu film industry with hits like Billa and Darling in the 2000s. But then, the success of SS Rajamouli’s Baahubali franchise turned him into a pan-India star. But after the two films’ success, Prabhas saw a lull. His next venture Saaho was a hit in Telugu but disappointed in other versions. After that, Prabhas saw the worst phase of his career. His 2021 release Radhe Shyam became Indian cinema’s biggest flop, nominally losing Rs 170 crore at the box office. His next release – Adipurush – fared even worse, losing Rs 230 crore. Together, his two films caused a loss of Rs 400 crore to the producers.
Why Prabhas rejected endorsements worth crores
In 2021, Prabhas reportedly refused to sign for many brands, who were eager for the star to endorse them. As per an India Today report, an industry source said, “Prabhas is a household name and his popularity cuts across the length and breadth of not just the country but even overseas. So the value that he is capable of bringing to a brand is humongous. And he has declined brand endorsment offers worth over Rs 150 crore in just the past one year.” The reason behind this refusal was trying to be more responsible towards his fans and not associating with brands he does not identify with.
Prabhas’ resurgence with Salaar
But the flops and the absence of brand endorsements did not affect Prabhas’ stardom a bit. He remained the biggest star of his generation in terms of box office pull. Prasanth Neel’s Salaar proved that. The film, which released in December 2023, scored the biggest opening by any Indian film in the year and ended up grossing over Rs 700 crore worldwide, a brilliant comeback for the Rebel Star. With Kalki 2898 AD and Salaar 2 lined up over the next two years, he could end up ruling the box office once again. Kalki 2898 AD is the most expensive Indian film ever made with a reported budget of Rs 600 crore.
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 "The actor starring in India's most expensive film")
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