The late 90s in Bollywood witnessed an intense clash between two cinematic giants – Karan Johar’s romantic saga ‘Kuch Kuch Hota Hai’ and the dynamic duo of Amitabh Bachchan and Govinda in ‘Bade Miyan Chote Miyan.’
The clash, which took place on October 16, 1998, marked one of the most significant box office battles of the decade. With Govinda ruling the comedy genre and Amitabh Bachchan aiming for a comeback, ‘Bade Miyan Chote Miyan’ initially took the lead at the box office against ‘Kuch Kuch Hota Hai.’ However, the tides of the battle shifted as the weeks progressed.
Opening Salvo:
‘Bade Miyan Chote Miyan,’ featuring Govinda, Amitabh Bachchan, Raveena Tandon, and Ramya Krishnan, stormed the box office on its opening day, securing over 300 screens and collecting more than 1 crore nett. The film’s opening weekend saw it crossing the 3 crore nett mark, with the first week culminating at an impressive 6.30 crore nett. The power-packed combination of Govinda and Big B ensured that the theaters were packed.
On the flip side, Karan Johar’s directorial debut, ‘Kuch Kuch Hota Hai,’ featuring Shah Rukh Khan, Kajol, and Rani Mukerji, had a relatively slower start with an opening day collection of 87 lacs. However, the film quickly gained momentum, accumulating 2.75 crore nett in the opening weekend and 5.64 crore nett in the first week.
Box Office Roller Coaster:
‘Bade Miyan Chote Miyan’ continued to lead in the initial weeks, surpassing the opening numbers of ‘KKHH’ by a 20-25% margin. However, the real game-changer came in the form of ‘Kuch Kuch Hota Hai,’ which began trending among young audiences, particularly couples. From the second week onward, ‘KKHH’ picked up the pace, enjoying a solid 12-week run on 240 screens.
The Final Verdict:
As the dust settled, ‘Bade Miyan Chote Miyan’ concluded its domestic box office journey with earnings of 19 crore nett and 33 crore gross. In contrast, ‘Kuch Kuch Hota Hai’ emerged victorious with a massive total of 46.86 crore nett and 80.12 crore gross. Karan Johar and the stellar trio of Shah Rukh Khan, Kajol, and Rani Mukerji celebrated their triumph as ‘KKHH’ went on to become the highest-grossing Bollywood movie of 1998.
International Arena:
While ‘Bade Miyan Chote Miyan’ struggled to make a mark overseas, ‘Kuch Kuch Hota Hai’ dominated the international markets. The SRK-Kajol magic, already established by the success of ‘Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge,’ reached new heights as ‘KKHH’ collected a whopping $6.3 million, becoming the highest-grossing Bollywood movie of the decade in international markets.
Global Milestones:
‘Kuch Kuch Hota Hai’ not only secured its position as the third Bollywood movie to cross the 100 crore gross mark worldwide but also solidified the popularity of the SRK-Kajol duo on the global stage. The film’s success paved the way for blockbuster collaborations between the two stars in subsequent years.
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