Consistency at the box office is virtually impossible in the film industry. Bollywood is a place where even Shah Rukh Khan has delivered flops at the peak of his career while Sunny Deol has headlined a 500-crore film after years in the wilderness. Just like the stars, for the directors too, delivering hit after hit is extremely tough. And yet, there is one man who has done it and that too, over a time period of 25 years, making sure every film of his crosses Rs 100 crore and none is a flop.
The only Indian director with every film in 100-crore club
Karan Johar holds the distinction of having every film of his in the 100-crore club. The filmmaker, who began his journey as an assistant to Aditya Chopra in Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge, turned director with Kuch Kuch Hota Hai in 1998. The film was the highest-grossing Indian film of the year as it earned Rs 107 crore worldwide. Each of his subsequent films – Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham and Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna – crossed 100 crores, while My Name is Khan earned Rs 223 crore. Karan delivered another 100-crore hit in Student of the Year before Ae Dil Hai mushkil became his second film to cross the 200-crore mark.
Earlier this year, his comeback film Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani released, his first directorial in seven years, With a worldwide gross of over Rs 350 crore, the film is already the highest-grossing of the filmmaker’s career and is steadily moving towards the 400-crore mark as well.
Indian director with most 100-crore films
While all of Karan’s six feature films are in the 100-crore club, there is one director who has more of his films there. Rohit Shetty has as many as nine films that have grossed 100 crores worldwide, starting with Golmaal 3 and right down to Sooryavanshi. This includes his highest-grosser Chennai Express, which earned Rs 423 crore. However, Shetty also has six films that have not made Rs 100 crore, including the likes of Zameen (Rs 18 crore), Sunday (Rs 32 crore), and Cirkus (Rs 62 crore).
