India’s most profitable film, has no big stars, still earned 100 times its budget, ran in theatres for a year, name is…, lead actors are…

Made in a small budget of Rs 70 lakh, this film went on to earn 100 times its budget, becoming India's most profitable film ever.

In an industry, where hefty amounts are poured in to make a film with star-studded casts, a silent breakthrough emerged in Karnataka in 2006. A small-budget Kannada film was made in just Rs 70 lakh. However, what happened next was nothing short of extraordinary- the film went on to earn 100 times its budget, becoming India’s most profitable film till date.

India’s most profitable film

Yes, we are talking about writer-director Yograj Bhatt’s romantic drama, Mungaru Male, which released in 2006. The film starred newcomers Ganesh and Pooja Gandhi, along with seasoned actor Anant Nag. The film became a sleeper hit when released, emerging as the highest-grossing Kannada film. Moreover, it became the first Indian film ever to run for year in multiplexes, clocking 460 days.

Moreover, it became the first Kannada film to cross Rs 50 crore worldwide. Also, by the end of its run, it earned approx. Rs 75 crore overseas. An impressive Rs 57 crore came from Karnataka, where the film emerged as a blockbuster.

Impact of Mungaru Male

During the release, both Ganesh and Pooja were relatively unknown. But the film’s massive success turned them into overnight sensations, eventually emerging as one of the most prominent stars in Kannada cinema for nearly half a decade.

For producer E. Krishna, however, the success had its own obstacles. The Income Tax department claimed that the film had earned Rs 5.70 crore in net collections, and because of this he owned taxes on that income. To supervise this, the IT department conducted a raid on the producer.

Mungaru Males’ box office achievements remained unbeaten for over a decades until KGF Chapter 1 released. The film enjoyed cult fan following, and also had a spiritual sequel Mungaru Male 2. The film was also remade in Telugu, Bengali, Odi and Marathi languages.