This Indian Film Sold More Tickets Than Avatar 2 & Infinity War: And It’s Not What You’d Expect

A 1971 Bollywood gem quietly became a global sensation, selling more tickets than some of the biggest Hollywood blockbusters—without franchise hype or special effects.

By
Piyush Yadav
- April 19, 2025 | 3:40 PM IST
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When one thinks of Indian films that have left a lasting impression globally, titles like Sholay, Awaara, Baahubali, or RRR usually spring to mind. These blockbusters boasted unforgettable performances and soundtracks. Over time, these films cemented their place in the pantheon of iconic Indian cinema, both at home and abroad. And yet, hidden in plain sight, there’s one film that quietly outpaced some of Bollywood’s biggest giants in one key metric: ticket sales.

This isn’t about box office collections but about the sheer number of people who actually went out and bought a ticket. And what’s even more surprising? The film in question isn’t often mentioned in typical lists of all-time Indian greats. It didn’t spawn a franchise, it wasn’t driven by megastar power, and it didn’t rely on visual effects wizardry.

1971 Caravan sold more than 300 million tickets in Asia, mostly in China

Released in 1971 and directed by Nasir Hussain, Caravan was a modestly budgeted musical-thriller featuring Jeetendra and Asha Parekh. While it enjoyed solid success in India, the real magic happened overseas, in places where Bollywood films weren’t just entertainment, but a cultural lifeline. Most notably, Caravan became a massive phenomenon in China, a market often overlooked in traditional box office tallies.

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According to official data, (Via BollywoodLife.com) Caravan sold about 319 million tickets worldwide — a figure that surpasses ticket sales for Avengers: Infinity War (estimated 265 million) and Avatar: The Way of Water (approximately 253 million). Out of those 319 million, most of the tickets were sold in China alone. Having sold around 19 million tickets in India, the film was released in China eight years later, and the rest is history. The movie sold about 300 million tickets in China, which is not just the most for an Indian film, but the most for any foreign film in China.

Interestingly, neither the film’s stars nor its makers anticipated the kind of response it would receive internationally. Interestingly, the movie was produced by Tahir Hussain, the father of Aamir Khan. While Hussain’s work was loved widely in China, his son carried the legacy with films like PK, Dangal, and Secret Superstar which were superhits in the Land of the Dragon.

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