Akshaye Khanna has emerged as one of the biggest box-office success stories of 2025, powered by two massive releases—Chhaava and Dhurandhar. With both films delivering extraordinary theatrical numbers, the actor has now entered a rare commercial league previously dominated by the Khans.
Chhaava and Dhurandhar deliver historic box-office numbers
Akshaye began the year with Chhaava, where he portrayed Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb opposite Vicky Kaushal. The film went on to cross Rs 800 crore worldwide, emerging as the third-highest-grossing Indian film of 2025.He followed it up with Aditya Dhar’s Dhurandhar, starring alongside Ranveer Singh. Released on December 5 and still running in theatres, the spy actioner has crossed Rs 1,100 crore globally, with Akshaye’s portrayal of Pakistani gangster Rehman Dakait drawing widespread praise from audiences and critics alike.
Only Shah Rukh Khan has achieved this before
With Chhaava and Dhurandhar together crossing the Rs 2,000 crore mark worldwide in a single calendar year, Akshaye Khanna has become the second Indian actor after Shah Rukh Khan to achieve the milestone.Previously, Shah Rukh Khan set the benchmark in 2023, when Pathaan, Jawan and Dunki collectively grossed Rs 2,685 crore worldwide. While Aamir Khan’s Dangal eventually crossed Rs 2,000 crore globally, the feat was achieved across two years and staggered international releases.
How other stars compare
Actors such as Prabhas and Allu Arjun have come close to the milestone, with Baahubali 2 and Pushpa 2 earning over Rs 1,700 crore each. Ranbir Kapoor may still have a shot at joining the elite club with his upcoming releases Ramayana and Love & War.
From Drishyam 3 controversy to a Telugu debut
After making headlines for his controversial exit from Drishyam 3, Akshaye Khanna has now shifted focus to his next big project—Mahakali. Riding high on the success of Dhurandhar, the actor has officially joined the sets of the mythological epic, marking his Telugu cinema debut. Mahakali stars Bhoomi Shetty in the lead role as Maha and is positioned as a key installment in the Prashanth Varma Cinematic Universe (PVCU). Last September, filmmaker Prashanth Varma had unveiled Akshaye’s first-look poster from the film, revealing the actor as Shukracharya, a pivotal character in the mythological narrative.
