Ranbir Kapoor Filmography Analysis - 2 Blockbusters and 3 Superhits make him the box office Torchbearer

Ranbir Kapoor, in his decade and a half long career, has given the Hindi Film Industry some of its most cherished films. The actor's next release Tu Jhoothi Main Makkaar is just round the corner.

By Rishil Jogani

Updated on Mar 06, 2023 | 09:48 PM IST | 438.9K

Ranbir Kapoor has an exciting slate of movie releases to look forward to (Credit: T-Series)

Ranbir Kapoor is one of the most loved and adored new-gen stars of the country who in his decade and a half long journey in the Hindi Film Industry, has become one of the most sought after names for movie makers across the country. The actor has given a host of amazing movies and characters which have won him numerous accolades apart from great commercial successes. His filmography, which includes films like Rockstar, Barfi, Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani, Sanju, Brahmastra, Rockstar, Ae Dil Hai Mushkil and Raajneeti, is enough to prove how versatile of an actor and performer he is. With age and experience comes great responsibility and having been in the mix of things for over 15 years, the actor is expected to take the reigns forward and be the torchbearer for the next generation of actors, not only with his choice of movies and characters but also the way he goes about his career from here on.

Ranbir Kapoor made his movie debut with Saawariya (Credit: T-Series)

Ranbir Kapoor's Debut Film Didn't Get The Kind Of Response It Should Have Got

Born in a star family, Ranbir Kapoor knew about the nitty gritties of the Hindi Film Industry from the very beginning. He assisted Sanjay Leela Bhansali on Black before landing his first big film with the director, Saawariya. The film released in Diwali 2007 and while it was a commercial failure, it marked the entry of the phenomenal actor who was going to woo audiences with extraordinary movie performances.

Bachna Ae Haseeno made Ranbir Kapoor an established A-lister in Bollywood (Credit: Yash Raj Films)

Bachna Ae Haseeno And The Films Following It Made Ranbir Kapoor A Top Billing Star

It didn't take Ranbir Kapoor too long to establish himself as one of the top billing actors of the country. His immediate next release after Saawariya was Bachna Ae Haseeno and that film not just proved to be a commercially successful venture at the box office but also won the clash against a star led film like God Tussi Great Ho. The highlight of this clash was that Ranbir Kapoor's film not only grossed higher but also opened bigger, proving that he is an actor that can guarantee strong initials. Wake Up Sid, another commercially successful venture, also made him a credible actor who can carry niche and limited appeal films on his shoulders. His biggest hit, then, came in the form of Ajab Prem Ki Gazab Kahani and it made him an almost invincible force at the box office who could do no wrong. With three back to back commercial successes, Ranbir Kapoor was running high on confidence and the glory run was expected to continue with Rocket Singh: Salesman Of The Year but it wasn't to be as it ended up as an underperformer vis-à-vis the expectations pinned on it. The film won him accolades but the actor had to wait until his next film Raajneeti, to get the accolades as well as the box office. The politics based multistarrer emerged as one of the highest grossers of Hindi cinema apart from being the actor's highest grosser too, then.

Ranbir Kapoor kept making giant strides in the start of the 2010s (Credit: T-Series)

Ranbir Kapoor Saw Back To Back Successes, Each One Greater Than The Previous One

The glory streak of Ranbir Kapoor was not going to settle as he came with back to back commercial successes like Anjaana Anjaani, Rockstar, Barfi and Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani. There was a growing trajectory in terms of movie collections and they peaked with Barfi and Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani. The former marked the entry of the actor in the Rs. 100 crore club while the latter not only emerged as his highest grosser, then, but also became the highest non-holiday Hindi grosser upto that point. Ranbir Kapoor was at his career's peak after Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani and yet again when it felt that he could do no wrong, he was greeted with a string of utter flop films.

Besharam's bad results had a detrimental effect on the prospect of Ranbir Kapoor's other films (Credit: Reliance Movies)

Besharam Was The Start To A Very Dull Phase In Ranbir Kapoor's Filmy Career

Besharam was the first in the lot and changed the tide for the actor. The film opened to an excellent response but fumbled from the very second day. It was deemed a flop venture but the big opening was certainly reassuring if nothing else after it. Roy was the next film in line and that film flopped too. Like most films of the actor at that time, the opening it registered was good considering he was not the protagonist of the film and that he essayed the role of the supporting character. Regardless, it did dent his goodwill and things got to its worst at the time of Bombay Velvet. Bombay Velvet was among the costliest Indian films, then, and it proved to be a costly venture for the actor too as it went on to become his biggest flop. The film neither opened well, nor did it register decent lifetime numbers. On adjusting for inflation, it is probably the greatest loss-making venture for a Hindi original. With things at the lowest they had ever been for the actor, it was hoped that his next film Tamasha would help bring an end to the dry spell. Alas, the film flopped, although it has now developed a cult status for itself over time.

Sanju emerged as the highest non-holiday grosser in India (Credit: Star Studios)

Ranbir Kapoor's Career Following Tamasha Has Been A Mixed Bag With Few Very Big Hits And A Couple Of Disasters

From Tamasha to Brahmastra, it has been a mixed bag in terms of theatrical reception for the actor. Ae Dil Hai Mushkil, Sanju and Brahmastra got love from the audiences while Jagga Jasoos and Shamshera not just faltered but saw disastrous results. The actor's next few films will indicate where his career is headed. Consistency is the need of the hour and if that is taken care of, there's really no stopping the actor.

Ranbir Kapoor's Ability To Give Strong Initials Puts Him Ahead Oh His Contemporaries

Ranbir Kapoor's knack of giving strong initials is something that puts him above other contemporaries. He has three non-holiday opening weekend records with Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani, Sanju and Brahmastra. He also enjoys a strong international pull and that is very essential in today's time because a film can't entirely rely on domestic takings to recover costs. With an evergrowing international fanbase, Ranbir already has a foot in.

Ranbir Kapoor has an exciting slate of movie reviews (Credit: T-Series)

Ranbir Kapoor Has An Exciting Slate Of Movie Releases

Tu Jhoothi Main Makkaar releases this Holi and every asset of the film has received a thumping response. It is hoped that this rom-com ends the dull phase of the Hindi Film Industry, since the release of Pathaan. Animal, directed by Sandeep Reddy Vanga, seems to be yet another ripper of a film and that film is expected to open to mind-numbing numbers across the board this Independence Day weekend. All in all, there is a lot of exciting content from Ranbir Kapoor to look forward to.