In a remarkable box office feat, Malayalam superstar Mohanlal’s latest film Thudarum has surpassed Vicky Kaushal’s historical epic Chhaava to become the second highest-grossing Indian film overseas in 2025. The film directed by Tharun Moorthy has managed to rake in an impressive USD 10.6 million (approximately Rs 90 crore) as per Sacnilk from international markets within just 17 days of its release, narrowly overtaking Chhaava, which had earned USD 10.5 million (Rs 89 crore) during its run.Thudarum’s overseas performance has stunned everyone, especially considering the film’s rooted narrative and its primary release in Malayalam. However, with Mohanlal’s pan-Indian appeal and the growing demand for quality South Indian cinema in the Middle East, North America, and parts of Europe, the film has found a solid footing beyond domestic territories.The film in India as well is maintaining a steady run at the box office with the film posting Rs 98.75 crore collection in the country and becoming the third highest Malayalam grosser of all time. While Thudarum now claims the second spot on the 2025 overseas box office list, the top position still firmly belongs to L2: Empuraan, the much-celebrated sequel to Lucifer, starring Mohanlal and Prithviraj Sukumaran. L2: Empuraan set the bar sky-high earlier this year by amassing a record-breaking USD 15.7 million (Rs 133 crore) from international markets — a figure no other Indian film has come close to so far in 2025.Vicky Kaushal’s Chhaava, a big-budget period drama based on the life of Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj, performed exceptionally well internationally, especially in North America and the UK. However, Thudarum’s emotional storyline, combined with Mohanlal’s legendary stature among the diaspora, gave it the final edge. Chhaava is still one of the biggest hits of Hindi cinema with the collection crossing Rs 600 crore mark. This latest milestone further cements Mohanlal’s unshakable overseas clout, with two of his 2025 releases now occupying the top two spots on the year’s international box office leaderboard. With a few more major releases lined up this year, it remains to be seen if any upcoming film can challenge L2: Empuraan or Thudarum in the global arena. For now, Mohanlal continues his reign as the overseas box office king of Indian cinema in 2025.
