Superstar Rajinikanth’s latest action-comedy, Jailer 2, is enjoying an extraordinary run at the worldwide box office. The film has collected Rs 765.15 crore globally within 15 days of its theatrical release on October 15, 2026, bringing it closer to the Rs 800 crore milestone. Directed by Nelson Dilipkumar and produced by Kalanithi Maran under the Sun Pictures banner, the film has also become the highest-grossing Tamil movie worldwide, overtaking the previous record held by 2.0, which earned Rs 691 crore.
While Jailer 2 continues its impressive box office journey, an interesting question has resurfaced within the Tamil film industry: why has Kollywood not yet produced a film that crosses the Rs 1,000 crore mark? Director Karthik Subbaraj has now shared his thoughts on the subject, explaining why achieving this milestone cannot simply be a planned target.
Karthik Subbaraj Explains Why Rs 1,000 Crore Is Not a Planned Target
Filmmaker Karthik Subbaraj, known for directing films such as Pizza, Jigarthanda and Petta, believes that reaching the Rs 1,000 crore box office club is not something filmmakers can achieve by setting it as a specific objective.
Sharing his perspective, Subbaraj explained that a film’s success on this scale depends on several factors and happens naturally rather than through a calculated approach.
“Nobody can target a thousand crore and get a thousand crore. That is not how it works. It is a phenomenon,” he remarked.
He further explained that filmmakers in the Tamil industry who begin a project with the sole intention of earning Rs 1,000 crore may not necessarily achieve that goal. According to him, a film should focus on connecting with audiences rather than being created around a particular box office figure.
KGF 2 And Pushpa 2 Are Examples of Organic Success
To explain his point, Karthik Subbaraj referred to successful pan-Indian films such as KGF: Chapter 2 and Pushpa 2: The Rule. He suggested that their filmmakers likely concentrated on making compelling cinema instead of specifically aiming for a Rs 1,000 crore collection.
Subbaraj believes that when a movie connects with audiences across different countries and continues attracting viewers, its collections can grow beyond expectations.
“When the film actually reaches that figure, when people across the globe connect with it and it keeps growing, that is a phenomenon. It is magic. And you cannot plan for magic to happen,” he added.
Why Has Kollywood Not Crossed the Rs 1,000 Crore Mark Yet?
The Rs 1,000 crore milestone has already been achieved by films from several Indian film industries, including Hindi, Telugu and Kannada cinema. Movies such as Dangal, Baahubali 2: The Conclusion, KGF: Chapter 2, RRR, Pushpa 2: The Rule, Jawan, Pathaan and Kalki 2898 AD have all crossed this prestigious worldwide box office benchmark.
However, Tamil cinema is yet to achieve the same feat, despite its established audience base and consistent production of commercially successful films. This has made the milestone an important subject of discussion among filmmakers and movie enthusiasts.
Jailer 2 Sets a New Box Office Benchmark for Tamil Cinema
Meanwhile, Jailer 2 has emerged as a major box office success for Kollywood. Alongside Rajinikanth, the film features Ramya Krishnan, Vinayakan and Tamannaah Bhatia in important roles. It also includes special appearances by Mohanlal, Shiva Rajkumar, Jackie Shroff and Hrithik Roshan.
With its worldwide collection reaching Rs 765.15 crore in just 15 days, the film has already established a new record for Tamil cinema. Its performance has brought the industry closer to the Rs 1,000 crore milestone, even as Karthik Subbaraj maintains that such extraordinary box office success cannot be achieved simply by planning for it.