Lights, Camera, Thousand Crores: Are ₹1,000 Crore budgets the new normal in Indian films?

Indian cinema is undergoing a dramatic transformation, one that reflects not just changing audience appetites but also a growing confidence in competing on a global stage. A decade ago, a ₹100 crore box office collection was hailed as a landmark achievement. Today, that benchmark feels almost modest. In an era where films are expected to cross ₹1,000 crore to earn the “blockbuster” tag, scale has become both a creative aspiration and a commercial necessity.

This shift at the ticket window has been matched by an equally striking rise in production budgets. Not long ago, spending ₹100 crore on a single film was considered a daring gamble, attempted only by a handful of visionary filmmakers. Fast forward to the present, and large-scale, star-driven pan-Indian projects are being planned with budgets approaching ₹500 crore. Lavish sets, international technicians, cutting-edge visual effects, and expansive marketing strategies have become standard, pushing Indian cinema closer to a thousand-crore production mindset.

At the centre of this conversation is Varanasi, one of the most ambitious projects currently in production. Helmed by SS Rajamouli, the film promises an unprecedented level of world-building and cinematic scale. Featuring Mahesh Babu in the lead, alongside Priyanka Chopra and Prithviraj Sukumaran, the film has already sparked immense curiosity. Reports of its ₹1,300 crore budget sent shockwaves through the industry, highlighting just how far Indian filmmaking has evolved in terms of ambition and investment.

Equally staggering is Nitesh Tiwari’s Ramayana, produced by Namit Malhotra. Planned as a two-part epic, the project leans heavily on advanced visual effects and global storytelling standards. With a reported combined budget of around ₹4,000 crore, it stands as a bold declaration of intent, aiming to reinterpret a timeless myth for contemporary, worldwide audiences.

As Indian cinema steps into this era of mega-budgets, the stakes have never been higher. The success or failure of these colossal ventures will likely influence how far the industry dares to dream next. More than numbers, these films represent a turning point—where Indian storytelling aspires not just to dominate domestic screens, but to leave a lasting mark across global cinema.