The year 2022 began on a speculative note for the film industry, one of the hardest hit during the pandemic. Producers, directors, distributors and theatre owners were unsure if the big screen would lure back the audience. And even if it did, would the movies be of their liking, since two years of sitting at home and being exposed to world cinema had changed viewer preferences. It turned out, the Indian audience still had an appetite for thrillers, romance, mysteries and sci-fi provided the content was good. So, the year rolled on and the film industry, both south and north, churned out some watchable stuff.
Cinemania accumulated figures for the top ten highest-grossing Indian movies of 2022. Let’s take a look:
Rank 1: K.G.F: Chapter 2
Made at an estimated budget of Rs 100 crore, it grossed Rs 1,250 crore worldwide. A Kannada-language action film directed by Prashanth Neel, it is a sequel to the 2018 film K.G.F: Chapter 1. The film follows the assassin Rocky who after establishing himself as the kingpin of the Kolar Gold Fields, must retain his supremacy over adversaries and government officials, while also coming to terms with his past.
Rank 2: RRR
Made at an estimated budget of Rs 550 crore, it grossed Rs 1,224 crore worldwide. A Telugu-language epic action drama, the film is directed by S.S. Rajamouli. The film centres around two real-life Indian revolutionaries, their fictional friendship and their fight against the British Raj. Set in the 1920s, the plot explores the undocumented period in their lives when both the revolutionaries chose to go into obscurity before they began the fight for their country.
Rank 3: Ponniyin Selvan 1
Made at an estimated budget of Rs 250 crore, it grossed Rs 500 crore worldwide. A Tamil-language epic historical action drama film directed by Mani Ratnam, it is the first of two cinematic parts based on Kalki Krishnamurthy’s 1955 novel, Ponniyin Selvan. It shows the power struggle during the Chozha rule between ADs 900 and 950. The three main figures of the plot are the ruler Sundara Chozhan and his sons Aaditha Karikalan and Arunmozhivarman (who later ruled as Rajaraja Chouhan). The conspiracies and the struggle for power between the main characters and those around them form the basis of this story.
Rank 4: Brahmastra
Made at an estimated budget of Rs 410 crore, it grossed Rs 430 crore worldwide. The Ayan Mukherji Hindi language directorial is a fantasy action-adventure film. It’s the first instalment of a planned trilogy, which is itself planned to be part of a cinematic universe called Astraverse.
Rank 5: Vikram
Made at an estimated budget of Rs 140 crore, it grossed Rs 426 crore worldwide. Vikram is a Tamil language high-octane action film, directed by Lokesh Kanagaraj, where a special investigator is assigned a case of serial killings. He finds the case is not what it seems to be and leading down this path is only going to end in a war between everyone involved.
Made at an estimated budget of Rs 16 crore, it grossed Rs 407 crore worldwide. The Kannada language action thriller film, directed by Rishab Shetty, revolves around the culture of ‘Kambala’ and ‘Bhootha Kola’. It depicts a human and nature conflict where lead actor Shiva is a rebel who defends his village and nature. A death leads to war between villagers and evil forces. The film received acclaim from critics, who praised the cast performances, direction, writing, production design, cinematography, proper showcasing of the Bhoota Kola, action sequences, editing, soundtrack, and musical score.
Rank 7: The Kashmir Files
Made at an estimated budget of Rs 20 crore, it grossed Rs 340 crore worldwide. The Vivek Agnihotri-directed film centres on the 1990s “exodus of Kashmiri Pandits” from Kashmir. The movie was made tax-free in a number of Indian states.
Rank 8: Drishyam 2
Made at an estimated budget of Rs 50 crore, it grossed Rs 307 crore worldwide. The Hindi crime thriller film, directed by Abhishek Pathak, is based on the 2021 Malayalam film of the same name. It revolves around a gripping tale of an investigation and a family which is threatened by it. Drishyam 2 is, notably, a sequel to the 2015 film Drishyam.
Rank 9: Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2
Made at an estimated budget of Rs 75 crore, it grossed Rs 267 crore worldwide. The Hindi comedy horror film, directed by Anees Bazmee, is a standalone sequel to the 2007 Bhool Bhulaiyaa. The plot follows an accidental, yet destined meet-up between two strangers Ruhaan and Reet, and ends up with them visiting Reet’s home town in Rajasthan. Fate leads them to the opening up an old secret due to which all hell breaks loose.
Rank 10: Beast
Made at an estimated budget of Rs 130 crore, it grossed Rs 217 crore worldwide. A Tamil language action film, directed by Nelson, revolves around an ex-RAW agent’s crusade to rescue people held hostage in a shopping mall by terrorists.
