List of highest-grossing Indian films in overseas markets

This is a list of highest-grossing Indian films in overseas markets, including films from Bollywood and other film domains of India. These estimates are as reported by reputable sources.

The first Indian film to have a commercial release in an overseas territory was Dharti Ke Lal (1946), directed by Khwaja Ahmad Abbas and based on the Bengal famine of 1943. It was released in the Soviet Union in 1949. The first Indian film to have a worldwide release in many countries was Aan (1952), directed by Mehboob Khan, and starring Dilip Kumar and Nimmi. It was subtitled in 17 languages and released in 28 countries, including the United Kingdom,United States, France, and Japan, earning a considerable profit from overseas. Mehboob Khan's later Mother India (1957) was an unprecedented success in overseas markets, including Europe,Russia, the Eastern Bloc, French territories, and Latin America.

Up until the 1980s, the largest overseas market for Indian films was the Soviet Union. After Dharti Ke Lal, the first Indian film to become a blockbuster at the Soviet box office was Awaara (1951), directed by Raj Kapoor and written by Khwaja Ahmad Abbas, released in the Soviet Union in 1954. Indian films had the strongest presence in the Soviet foreign blockbuster charts for four decades. 300 Indian films were released in the Soviet Union, most of which were Bollywood films. Among the foreign films that sold more than 20 million tickets in the Soviet Union, 50 were Indian films, the highest from any nation, compared to 41 Hollywood films. Indian films were routinely released with hundreds of prints in the Soviet Union, with the most popular Indian films releasing with more than a thousand prints there. The highest-grossing Indian film in the Soviet Union was Disco Dancer (1982). The Soviet Union collapsed in 1991, bringing an end to Indian cinema's largest overseas market at the time.

...
Wikipedia