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Few rivalries in Indian cinema have defined generations like the battle of the three Khans, Salman, Aamir, and Shah Rukh. For over three decades, the trio has alternated between ruling the silver screen and rewriting the definition of box office success. Every decade brought its own wave of trends: family dramas in the ’90s, action-packed spectacles in the 2000s, and pan-global blockbusters in the 2010s.
But one question has always fascinated fans and trade experts alike: which Khan truly dominated the box office most consistently? While each boasts career-defining hits and cultural milestones, the numbers reveal a fascinating story of how their legacies took shape across eras. From Salman Khan’s family entertainers to Aamir Khan’s perfectionist-driven record breakers and SRK’s romantic global juggernauts, here’s a breakdown of who topped the box office crown and how often.
Salman Khan – The Box Office Sultan
Salman Khan’s journey as a box office topper is defined by his ability to reinvent himself with changing audience tastes. Starting with Maine Pyar Kiya (1989), which became the biggest grosser of its year, he transitioned into ensemble dramas like Hum Aapke Hain Koun..!, rewriting Indian box office history with a then-unimaginable ₹127 crore haul in 1994, as per Box Office India.
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The 2000s brought mixed phases, but Salman reinvented himself with Wanted (2009) and went on a golden streak in the 2010s. Dabangg (2010), Bodyguard (2011), Ek Tha Tiger (2012), and Bajrangi Bhaijaan (2015) weren’t just hits; they cemented him as the crowd-puller supreme, drawing unmatched single-screen and family audiences. His films often achieved unprecedented lifetime runs, becoming festive season staples.
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Box Office Crown Films (Salman Khan):
- 1989 – Maine Pyar Kiya – ₹28 Cr (Worldwide Gross) – 14 Cr (Domestic Net)
- 1991 – Saajan – ₹18 Cr (Worldwide Gross) – 10 Cr (Domestic Net)
- 1994 – Hum Aapke Hain Koun..! – ₹127 Cr (Worldwide Gross) – 71 Cr (Domestic Net)
- 1999 – Hum Saath-Saath Hain – ₹81.71 Cr (Worldwide Gross) – 40 Cr (Domestic Net)
- 2005 – No Entry – ₹74 Cr (Worldwide Gross) – 45 Cr (Domestic Net)
- 2010 – Dabangg – ₹221 Cr (Worldwide Gross) – 139 Cr (Domestic Net)
- 2011 – Bodyguard – ₹234 Cr (Worldwide Gross) – 142 Cr (Domestic Net)
- 2012 – Ek Tha Tiger – ₹320 Cr (Worldwide Gross) – 198 Cr (Domestic Net)
- 2015 – Bajrangi Bhaijaan – ₹915 Cr (Worldwide Gross) – 320.34 Cr (Domestic Net)
Total Years As Box Office King: 9
Out of the above nine years, films No Entry and Dabanng were the highest-grossing in domestic collections and were beaten by Enthiran and 2.0, respectively, in worldwide collections.
Aamir Khan – The Perfectionist
Aamir Khan’s box office supremacy is unique because it didn’t rely on sheer quantity but on path-breaking quality. Starting with Dil (1990), he soon proved his versatility with Raja Hindustani (1996), which became the highest grosser of its time. Aamir chose fewer films than his peers, but each was crafted to break barriers.
The turning point came with Ghajini (2008), which introduced Bollywood’s first ₹100 crore benchmark. Then came 3 Idiots (2009), a cultural phenomenon that crossed ₹400 crore worldwide, cementing him as India’s most bankable star. Dhoom 3 (2013) and PK (2014) raised the stakes further, but Dangal (2016) remains his crown jewel, grossing ₹2,024 crore worldwide, a record still untouched by any Hindi film.
Aamir’s appeal lies in his ability to dominate not just domestically but also in overseas markets, especially China, where his films set new global trends.
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Box Office Crown Films (Aamir Khan):
- 1990 – Dil – ₹18 Cr (Worldwide Gross) – 11 Cr (Domestic Net)
- 1996 – Raja Hindustani – ₹76 Cr (Worldwide Gross) – 45 Cr (Domestic Net)
- 2008 – Ghajini – ₹194.58 Cr (Worldwide Gross) – 114 Cr (Domestic Net)
- 2009 – 3 Idiots – ₹395 Cr (Worldwide Gross) – 220 Cr (Domestic Net)
- 2013 – Dhoom 3 – ₹601 Cr (Worldwide Gross) – 284 Cr (Domestic Net)
- 2014 – PK – ₹792 Cr (Worldwide Gross) – 339.5 Cr (Domestic Net)
- 2016 – Dangal – ₹2,059.04 Cr (Worldwide Gross) – 387.39 Cr (Domestic Net)
Total Years As Box Office King: 7
Shah Rukh Khan – The King Khan
Shah Rukh Khan’s legacy is deeply tied to the globalization of Bollywood. His first box office crown came with Darr (1993), but it was Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (1995) that made him “King Khan,” smashing records with ₹103 crore domestic in an era where such numbers were unheard of.
Through the late ’90s and 2000s, SRK’s films dominated India and overseas, especially in the UK, the Middle East, and the USA. Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (1998), Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham (2001), and Devdas (2002) made him the face of Indian cinema abroad. His Om Shanti Om (2007) was Bollywood’s biggest spectacle of its time, while Chennai Express (2013) reaffirmed his domestic supremacy. The recent Jawan (2023) proved SRK’s box office might is far from over, grossing ₹1,159 crore worldwide, making him once again the king of the box office after decades.
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Box Office Crown Films (Shah Rukh Khan):
- 1993 – Darr – ₹21.3 Cr (Worldwide Gross) – 12.75 Cr (Domestic Net)
- 1995 – Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge – ₹103 Cr (Worldwide Gross) – 53.5 Cr (Domestic Net)
- 1997 – Dil To Pagal Hai – ₹71.87 Cr (Worldwide Gross) – 35 Cr (Domestic Net)
- 1998 – Kuch Kuch Hota Hai – ₹106.74 Cr (Worldwide Gross) – 47 Cr (Domestic Net)
- 2000 – Mohabbatein – ₹90.01 Cr (Worldwide Gross) – 43 Cr (Domestic Net)
- 2001 – Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham – ₹135.53 Cr (Worldwide Gross) – 55.8 Cr (Domestic Net)
- 2002 – Devdas – ₹99.87 Cr (Worldwide Gross) – 42.5 Cr (Domestic Net)
- 2003 – Kal Ho Naa Ho – ₹86.09 Cr (Worldwide Gross) – 38.6 Cr (Domestic Net)
- 2004 – Veer-Zaara – ₹97.64 Cr (Worldwide Gross) – 43 Cr (Domestic Net)
- 2007 – Om Shanti Om – ₹149.87 Cr (Worldwide Gross) – 79.5 Cr (Domestic Net)
- 2023 – Jawan – ₹1,163.62 Cr (Worldwide Gross) – ₹640.42 Cr (Domestic Net)
Total Years As Box Office King: 11
Out of the above eleven years, the film Darr was the highest-grossing for only the domestic box office, as Aankhen beat it for overall gross. Further, SRK’s global dominance is proven by the fact that the films Dil To Pagal Hai (1997), Mohabbatein (2000), Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham… (2001), and Kal Ho Naa Ho (2003) were in fact not the winners of the Domestic Net box office but managed to became the biggest Indian movie on the global box office in those years. On the domestic front, these movies were bested by Border (1997), Kaho Na Pyaar Hai (2000), Gadar (2001), and Koi Mil Gaya (2003).
Note: Box office numbers are based on estimates and various sources. Numbers have not been independently verified by Koimoi
Stay tuned to Koimoi for more box office updates!
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