Stories
Low Budget Blockbusters: How The Kashmir Files And The Kerala Story Crossed 300 Crores
- •Films like The Kashmir Files and The Kerala Story proved that strong content can shatter traditional box office rules without big superstars or massive budgets.
- •Released in March 2022, The Kashmir Files was made on a modest budget of 15 to 20 crores and grossed over 340 crores worldwide.
- •Released in May 2023, The Kerala Story was made on a budget of 20 crores and crossed 300 crores globally.
- •Both films achieved massive success primarily through powerful word-of-mouth publicity and emotional connection with the audience.
- •These milestones send a clear message to producers that honest writing and real stories matter more than chasing stardom.
Key Questions Answered
The Kashmir Files was made on a modest budget of 15 to 20 crores and grossed over 340 crores worldwide. Similarly, The Kerala Story was produced on a budget of just 20 crores and crossed 300 crores globally.
The Kashmir Files focused on the atrocities, exodus, and struggle faced by Kashmiri Pandits in the 1990s. The Kerala Story depicted events involving the conversion of young girls in Kerala and their entrapment by the terrorist organization ISIS.
Although both films started with limited screens and promotional budgets, strong audience reviews, social media discourse, and personal recommendations drove massive crowds. Theater owners eventually had to add late-night and midnight shows as initial empty screenings quickly turned into housefuls.
