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2016 Box Office Kings : Mohanlal is the only Malayalam actor among top 5, Aamir Khan tops the list, followed by Akshay Kumar and Salman Khan

Sree Prasad Nair | Updated on: 9 January 2017, 18:49 IST

Kerala film lovers have a reason to rejoice as for the very first time in Indian cinema history a Malayalam film actor entered into the list of Top 5 highest grossing actors of the year. And that is Malayalam superstar Mohanlal.

The year 2016 saw the release of many superstars films at the Box Office. From Amitabh Bachchan, Rajinikanth, Mammootty, Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan, Akshay Kumar to Mahesh Babu, Ilayathalapathy Vijay, Pawan Kalyan, Allu Arjun, most of the Indian film superstar films have had a wide release at the Box Office worldwide this year.

However, Mohanlal managed to clock fourth spot among the the list of Top 5 Indian actors with highest gross collections in 2016. Though Mohanlal had no releases in the first half of 2016, the actor came strongly in the second half of the year by delivering three all-time blockbusters with in a span of 2 months. The total worldwide collections of Mohanlal releases are a massive Rs. 378 crore with Pulimurugan still running to packed houses across the state.

Mohanlal's first release of the year was Telugu film Manamantha was released on 5th August. Though the film had won critical acclaim, but the film turned out to be an average grosser at the Box office. The Malayalam dubbed version of the film, titled Manamantha, too didn't do well at the Box Office. The combined worldwide collection of Manamantha/Vismayam was Rs. 28 crore.

Mohanlal in Manamantha

Mohanlal's second release of 2016 was also a Telugu film, Janatha Garage. The mass-entertainer which had released on 1 September 2016 also starred Telugu actor Jr.NTR, Malayalam youth icon Unni Mukundan, Samantha Prabhu and Nithya Menen. The Koratala Siva directorial has crossed the coveted Rs. 100 crore mark within six days of theatrical release to become the second fastest Rs. 100 crore Telugu grosser after Baahubali. The film also emerged as the first Rs. 100 crore grosser for Mohanlal. Janatha Garage went on to collect Rs. 135 crore worldwide to become the highest Telugu grosser of the year.

Mohanlal with Devyani and Unni Mukundan in Janatha Garage

A week soon after the release of Janatha Garage, on September 8 saw the release of Mohanlal's first Malayalam release of the year, Oppam. Directed by Priyadarshan and produced by Mohanlal's friend, Antony Perumbavoor under his banner Aashirvad Cinemas, Oppam also starred Vimala Raman, Samuthirakani, Nedumudi Venu, Baby Meenakshi, Anusree and Kalabhavan Shajon. The film marked the 40th collaboration of Mohanlal - Priyadarshan duo and went on to collect Rs. 63 crore worldwide to become the all-time third Malayalam grosser after Mohanlal's Pulimurugan and Drishyam.

Mohanlal in Oppam

Mohanlal's last release of the year, Pulimurugan was released on 7 October as Dusshera release. Directed by Vysakh and produced by Tomichan Mulakupadam, the action-entertainer starred the actor in the titular role of a wild hunter, Murugan. The film creates history by becoming the first Malayalam film to cross Rs. 100 crore worldwide. The film has also shattered the life-time collections of Janatha Garage and Allu Arjun blockbuster Sarrainodu to become the third highest grossing South Indian film of the year. The film also emerged as the only South Indian film among the Top 5 highest grossing films in UAE. The Telugu dubbed version of the film, titled Manyam Puli also emerged as a blockbuster as well. Pulimurugan is still running to packed houses in more than 80 centers across the Kerala has so far collected Rs. 152 crore worldwide.

Meanwhile, Bollywood actor Aamir Khan emerges the numero-uno with the record breaking collections of Dangal. The 2016 Christmas release has so far collected a whopping Rs. 640 crore to become the all-time highest grossing Indian film worldwide. Akshay Kumar is at number two position with a worldwide collection of Rs. 619 crore. The Bollywood Khiladi's all three 2016 releases, Airlift, Housefull 3 and Rustom turned out to be Rs. 100 crore hits at the Box Office as well. Salman Khan is at number three position with his solo release Sultan - Rs. 584 crore while Thalaivar Rajinikanth gained the number five spot with his blockbuster Kabali, which minted Rs. 350 crore worldwide.

Aamir Khan in Dangal and Rajinikanth in Kabali

Shah Rukh Khan failed to make it into the list despite two releases, Fan and Dear Zindagi.

2016 Top 5 Indian actors with highest grossing collections;

1) Aamir Khan - Dangal* (Rs. 640 crore)
2) Akshay Kumar - Airlift, Housefull 3, Rustom (Rs. 619 crore)
3) Salman Khan - Sultan (Rs. 584 crore)
4) Mohanlal - Manamantha, Janatha Garage, Oppam, Pulimurugan* - (Rs. 378 crore)
5) Rajinikanth - Kabali (Rs. 350 crore)

First published: 9 January 2017, 18:49 IST