11 Small Budget Films That Became Hits Coz You Can’t Fool Audiences With Glam & Stars

In recent times, many Bollywood movies made on massive budgets of 100 Crores+ have fallen flat at the box office. Be it Akshay Kumar’s Samrat Prithviraj Chauhan or Ranbir Kapoor’s Shamshera or Aamir Khan’s Laal Singh Chaddha or Salman Khan’s Kisi Ka Bhai Kisi Ki Jaan, many big-budget stars loaded Bollywood movies were miserably rejected by the audience.

The recent failures of big-budget movies are a reminder that Bollywood can’t fool audiences with glam and stars anymore. While big-budget movies are failing at the box office in recent years, there are some small-budget movies that created havoc at Box-office because of their powerful storytelling, great screenplay, and talented actors. Here are some small-budget films that became blockbusters at the box office: 

1. Stree

Starring Shraddha Sharma and Raj Kumar Rao, Stree was made on a mere budget of ₹20 crores. But this horror comedy left the audience so impressed that it entered the ₹100 crore club with an Indian collection of ₹130 crores. This movie’s success is proof that you can impress the audience with a unique storyline, impactful performances, and quality humor.

2. Badhaai Ho

Starring Ayushmann Khurrana, Neena Gupta, Gajraj Rao, Badhaai Ho was made on a budget of ₹30 crores. But, due to its amazing storyline, exceptional performances, and intelligent screenplay, this movie managed to collect ₹137.61 crores.

3. Andhadhun

This dark comedy thriller was another unexpected hit. This Ayushmann-Tabu starrer left many so impressed that the movie earned ₹74.6 crores against a budget of ₹32 crores.

4. Kahaani

This Vidya Balan starrer created an unexpected magic at the box-office. This crime thriller was made on a budget of Rs 8 crores but finally gardened over Rs 104 crores at the box office worldwide. With a powerful screenplay, talented actors, and attention gripping story, this movie is one of the finest movies that Bollywood has made in recent times.

5. Secret Superstar

Though the movie starred actors, who were not famous actors, the movie managed to create an unparallel buzz at the box office. Made on a modest budget of ₹15 crores, Secret Superstar managed to garner ₹82 crores in India and a worldwide collection of ₹121.59 crores.

6. Hindi Medium

This Irrfan Khan and Saba Qamar starrer comedy-drama became a commercial success. The movie garnered a massive collection of almost ₹70 crores at the Box Office.

7. Shubh Mangal Saavdhan

This social comedy with a unique story touched the hearts of the audience so much that the movie made a final collection of almost ₹60 crores against a budget of a mere ₹25 crores.

8. Newton

This outstanding movie was made on a small budget of ₹15 crores. And, no one expected that this would turn into a hit in 2017. This movie that gardened a lifetime collection of ₹22.80 crores and became India’s official entry to the Oscars because of its brilliant actors and great screenplay. performances by both Rajkummar Rao and Pankaj Tripathi.

9. Raazi

According to the Indian Express, the movie directed by Meghna Gulzar, made with a budget of Rs 30 crore, achieved remarkable success at the box office, collecting a total of Rs 207 crore worldwide. Starring Alia Bhatt and Vicky Kaushal, Raazi, an adaptation of Harinder Singh Sikka’s novel “Calling Sehmat,” revolves around the story of a young Kashmiri girl who faces a transformative journey as she embarks on fulfilling her father’s desire to become a covert RAW agent. The subsequent events that unfold shape the captivating plot of the film.

10. The Kashmir Files

According to Hindustan Times, The Kashmir Files, a film directed by Vivek Agnihotri, achieved a global box office collection of Rs 330 crore, despite being surrounded by numerous controversies. Released in 2022, the movie revolves around the tragic exodus of Kashmiri Hindus from Kashmir during the 1990s. The film features acclaimed actors such as Mithun Chakraborty, Anupam Kher, Darshan Kumar, and Pallavi Joshi, who deliver notable performances in key roles.

11. Kantara

In 2022, South Indian movies took the spotlight, and one particular film that took everyone by surprise was Kantara. The Kannada movie, produced with a budget of Rs 16 crore, surpassed expectations and emerged as one of the highest-grossing films of the year, accumulating a worldwide collection of over Rs 400 crore, as reported by India TV. With a sequel already in the works, actor-director Rishab Shetty is eagerly anticipating the opportunity to once again enchant the audience with his cinematic prowess on the grand stage.

12. The Kerala Story

The Kerala Story, directed by Sudipto Sen and featuring Adah Sharma in the lead role, swiftly made its way into the 200-crore club, despite being embroiled in controversy. The film, made with a budget of Rs 20 crores [as per Wikipedia], will amass a box office collection of approximately 250 Crores INR.

We are so happy that these movies left their mark despite their limited resources. These movies indicate that the filmmakers can’t fool the audience with the glam and the mere presence of so-called superstars. We look forward to this changing trend and hope we will soon be able to watch more quality content.