The Rs 4,000 crore film Ramayana is currently the talk of the town everywhere. A first glimpse of the movie was released just a few days ago.
The film is being produced on a truly grand scale. Along with Ranbir Kapoor as Ram and Sai Pallavi as Sita, Ramayana features Kannada actor who Yash, who successfully established himself as a pan-India star back in 2022.
It significant to note that Yash as two releases this year Toxic: A Fairy Tale for Grown-ups (June) and Ramayana: Part 1 (November).
When Yash gave a Rs 1000 crore+ film in 2022
Released on April 14, 2022, KGF: Chapter 2 took the entire Indian film industry by storm. Directed by Prashanth Neel, this Kannada film was powered by Yash’s (as Rocky Bhai) commanding performance, Sanjay Dutt’s menacing avatar and spectacular action sequences. At the time of its release, it stood as the most expensive Kannada film ever produced, boasting a budget of Rs 100 crore. The film was dubbed into Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam and Hindi, thereby cementing its status as a pan-Indian blockbuster. The film has a runtime of 2 hours and 46 minutes.
The challenges faced by KGF sequel
The release date for KGF: Chapter 2 was postponed on multiple occasions. Initially, it was scheduled for release on Dussehra 2020. Then came July 2021, but the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted everything. Finally, it was released on April 14, 2022. During the filming process, the Karnataka Anti-Tobacco Cell issued notices to Yash, producer Vijay Kiragandur and Prashanth Neel, as the anti-smoking warning was not displayed during Yash’s smoking scenes.
The storm at the box office
On its opening day, KGF: Chapter 2 grossed over Rs 134 crore in India; the Hindi version alone set a record by earning Rs 53-54 crore. In just two days, it surpassed the lifetime earnings of Chapter 1. Globally, it entered the Rs 1,200-1,250 crore club, ranking as the third highest-grossing Indian film of all time. It was also the first Kannada film to be released in IMAX.