Just how SUCCESSFUL are SPORTS films?

Saina chronicles the life and games of badminton ace Saina Nehwal, who won a bronze medal at the 2012 London Olympics.

As Parineeti Chopra brings Saina's story on screen, Joginder Tuteja takes a look at how well Bollywood's sports movies have done at the box office.

 

Dangal
Box office collection: Rs 387.38 crore

Dangal is the highest grossing Bollywood film ever.

Spearheaded by Aamir Khan with Fatima Sana Shaikh and Sanya Malhotra as the leading ladies, the Nitish Tiwari directorial was a well made sports drama that had just the right family entertainer ingredients.

The story was based on wrestlers Geeta and Babita Phogat.

 

Sultan
Box office collection: Rs 301.50 crore

Salman Khan's Sultan was also based on wrestling.

While Dangal told a father-daughter story, this was a love story between a husband and wife.

Salman led the show along with Anushka Sharma in this Ali Abbas Zafar drama that even included a song like Baby Ko Bass Pasand Haiin the midst of all the sports action.

 

Chhichhore
Box office collection: Rs 153.09 crore

After Dangal, Nitish Tiwari directed the college drama Chhichhore which packed in a competition in various sports.

Sushant Singh Rajput's Anni and his friends go head to head with the Prateik Babbar's Raggie in order to win the General Championship, which is the college's annual sports competition.

This was Sushant's last theatrical release and a superhit.

 

M.S. Dhoni - The Untold Story
Box office collection: Rs 133.50 crore

The first time that Sushant Singh Rajput scored a box office century, it was with MS Dhoni - The Untold Story, which entered the 100 Crore Club with ease.

Other than Lagaan, the only hit film on cricket is this Neeraj Pandey directorial.

It helped, of course, that the cricketer the film was based on -- Mahendra Singh Dhoni -- helped promote the movie too.

 

Bhaag Milkha Bhaag
Box office collection: Rs 109 crore

Farhan Akhtar and Director Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra narrated the life and times of living legend Milkha Singh.

A well made affair that grew from strength to strength, Bhaag Milkha Bhaag scored a century at the box office.

Gold
Box office collection: Rs 105 crore

Akshay Kumar gave a soulful dramatic performance in Reema Kagti's sports drama, which narrated the golden days of Indian hockey.

Amit Sadh played a crucial role too.

Unfortunately, the film released on the same day as John Abraham's Satyameva Jayate and footfalls were eventually impacted.

 

Brothers
Box office collection: Rs 85 crore

Akshay Kumar's Brothers was based on Mixed Martial Arts.

Sidharth Malhotra matched the action hero step by step and impressed with his command over the sport.

Though the Karan Malhotra directed film did earn good money, it was an expensively mounted film and so could not emerge a hit.

 

Chak De! India
Box office collection: Rs 68 crore

Each of the three Khans has a sports hit to his credit, and Shah Rukh Khan's Chak De! India is probably the most loved of them all.

Ironically, the film was a slow starrer, but by the time the first day came to a close, everyone was rooting for Khan his team of lady hockey players.

This one was a superhit.

 

Mary Kom
Box office collection: Rs 64 crore

Priyanka Chopra gave her all to this film, where she played the part of Mary Kom.

The film took a good opening and grew due to positive word of mouth.

Directed by Omung Kumar, the film was produced by Sanjay Leela Bhansali.

 

Lagaan
Box office collection: Rs 30 crore

Lagaan released at the time when multiplexes were yet to take shape in India.

Bollywood was at its cusp of making a different kind of films and Aamir Khan -- along with his director friend Ashutosh Gowariker -- complied by making Lagaan, which had its entire second half set on the cricket field.

The kind of adrenalin jump that the film had ensured that theatres turned into stadiums.