Thalapathy Vijay's decade-long dominance at the box office has propelled him to nationwide stardom. Each of his recent films has joined the ranks of Vijay's Highest Grossing Movies worldwide. Previously a theatrical powerhouse in Tamil Nadu and Kerala, his films now reach a far wider audience and generate significantly higher revenues.
However, fans, exhibitors, and box office enthusiasts face a sobering reality: Vijay's speculated entry into politics may halt his movie releases. Industry insiders suggest that his upcoming film, The Greatest Of All Time, could be his final cinematic outing before a hiatus on the big screen.
Until that uncertain future unfolds, let's delve into Vijay's most financially successful films at the global box office:
1. Leo: Directed by Lokesh Kanagaraj and featuring Trisha Krishnan, Sanjay Dutt, and Arjun Sarda, Leo shattered Kollywood box office records with an unprecedented global gross of over Rs 140 crores, including premieres. It climbed to a staggering Rs 600 crores worldwide, becoming the third Kollywood film to achieve this milestone, following Rajinikanth's 2.0 and Jailer. Currently, Leo holds the title as the second highest-grossing Kollywood movie of all time, trailing only 2.0.
The hype surrounding Leo was unparalleled for a Tamil film. It marked the second collaboration between Lokesh Kanagaraj and Thalapathy Vijay. Speculations about the film's integration into Lokesh's Cinematic Universe (LCU) captivated audiences even before production commenced. Fans eagerly speculate that Vijay's last theatrical appearance before his political pursuits may also belong to the LCU.
2. Varisu: Directed by Vamsi Paidipally and co-starring Rashmika Mandanna, Varisu became Vijay's highest-grossing film at the time of its release. Despite clashing with Ajith Kumar's Thunivu, Varisu raked in over Rs 300 crores worldwide, proving a profitable venture.
The Pongal festival provided a perfect launchpad for Varisu, which resonated with family audiences who flocked to theaters to witness their beloved hero in action. The Pongal 2023 films collectively generated around Rs 500 crores worldwide.
3. Bigil: Under the direction of Atlee and alongside Nayanthara, Bigil emerged as a box office juggernaut, amassing approximately Rs 300 crores at the global box office. Reviews were mixed, but that did not deter the empowering sports drama from becoming Vijay's biggest grosser at that time.
Bigil claimed the title of Diwali 2019's highest-grossing film worldwide, surpassing the Bollywood blockbuster Housefull 4. With Bigil, Vijay's films began to garner global recognition, challenging the box office dominance of major Bollywood releases.
4. Master and Sarkar: Remarkably, these two Thalapathy Vijay films achieved nearly identical global grosses of around Rs 260 crores. Sarkar, released in 2018, faced negative reviews yet ascended to the position of Vijay's highest grosser at that time. Conversely, Master, released in 2021, elicited mixed responses but was released with 50 percent capacity restrictions.
Master proved profitable for all stakeholders, while Sarkar resulted in losses for distributors who had acquired the film at inflated rates. Differences in profit-sharing arrangements meant that Master enjoyed a higher share than Sarkar. With Master, Vijay became the first Kollywood star to have a film top the global weekend box office chart, a feat he repeated with Leo.
5. Mersal: Among the films in Vijay's highest-grossing echelon, Mersal generated the most enthusiastic audience response. Directed by Atlee, it became a box office sensation, grossing Rs 255 crores worldwide and claiming the mantle of Vijay's highest earner at that time. Mersal continues to hold a special place in the hearts of Tamil audiences.
The following table provides a comprehensive list of Vijay's Highest Grossing Movies based on their worldwide collections:
| Rank | Movie | Worldwide Gross Collections |n|---|---|---|n| 1 | Leo | Rs 620 crores |n| 2 | Varisu | Rs 305 crores |n| 3 | Bigil | Rs 299 crores |n| 4 | Sarkar | Rs 260 crores |n| 4 | Master | Rs 260 crores |n| 5 | Mersal | Rs 255 crores |
Note: The box office figures are collated from various sources and our own research. While approximate, they accurately reflect the films' box office performances.
Vijay's upcoming film, The Greatest Of All Time (GOAT), helmed by acclaimed director Venkat Prabhu, is poised to be his next cinematic release. Anticipation for the film is sky-high, as Vijay has become an unstoppable and undisputed box office force. Pre-release predictions suggest that it may well become one of the highest-grossing Kollywood films, if not the highest.
Among Vijay's Highest Grossing Movies, which is your favorite and why? Additionally, speculate on who you believe Vijay may collaborate with for his post-GOAT project.
