Nithilan Swaminathan’s Tamil action thriller Maharaja, featuring Vijay Sethupathi, was released in Chinese cinemas in November last year. In just over a month, the film is nearing the Rs 100 crore mark and has become the highest-grossing Indian film in China in five years, according to a Chinese embassy official.
Yu Jing, spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in India, shared an update on Maharaja’s box office performance in China on her X handle. She posted a film poster and captioned it, “Maharaja has become the highest-grossing Indian film in China since 2018, reaching Rs 91.55 crore. Well done (sic).”Maharaja is the first Indian film released in China following the October 2024 accord aimed at normalising ties between the two countries, ending the standoff in eastern Ladakh.
According to Maoyan, a cinema ticket sales portal, the film collected around RMB 13.37 million (Rs 15.6 crore) on its opening day in November 2024. The film, which was highly rated at 8.7/10 on Chinese movie review site Douban, is considered “one of the highest-rated Indian films in recent years.”
Directed by Nithilan Swaminathan, Maharaja also stars Anurag Kashyap, Mamta Mohandas, and Natty Natraj. The story follows Maharaja, a barber in Chennai, who visits a police station to retrieve his stolen dustbin, leading to unexpected developments.Maharaja received a positive response in India upon its release on June 14, earning over Rs 100 crore domestically.
Previously, Indian films such as Aamir Khan’s Dangal and Secret Superstar, as well as Ayushmann Khurrana’s Andhadhun and Rani Mukerji’s Hichki, have performed well in China.
