Akshay Kumar Starrer ‘Chandni Chowk to China’: A Box Office Flop, A TV Blockbuster

The 2009 Bollywood film Chandni Chowk to China, starring Akshay Kumar and Deepika Padukone, crashed at the box office despite featuring two big stars. However, the movie found a second life on television, becoming surprisingly popular. Director Nikkhil Advani recently shared some interesting behind-the-scenes stories about this film, which not only flopped at theatres but also caused one of its producers to leave the country.

A Disastrous Box Office Performance

When Chandni Chowk to China was released on January 16, 2009, it was expected to perform well due to Akshay Kumar and Deepika’s star power. Unfortunately, it couldn’t compete with other releases around the same time, such as Aamir Khan’s Ghajini and Shah Rukh Khan’s Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi. As a result, the film flopped badly at the box office.

Made on a budget of ₹62 crores, it only managed to earn ₹29 crores in its opening week. The film’s total earnings in India were limited to ₹40 crores, while its worldwide collection stopped at ₹56 crores—far below expectations.

The Film’s Fate Changed on TV

While the movie failed miserably in cinemas, it gained immense popularity when it aired on television. According to Nikkhil Advani, the film resonated especially well with younger audiences, becoming one of the most-watched films on Indian TV. “Kids really liked the movie, and that’s what gave it a new life on TV,” the director shared.

This unexpected success on television gave Chandni Chowk to China a cult following, making it a prime example of how a movie can flop at the box office but still succeed on a different platform.

Hollywood Producer Left India After the Film Flopped

Nikkhil Advani also revealed in an interview with Cyrus Broacha’s podcast that the film’s failure had significant consequences for its producers. Hollywood studio Warner Bros., which had co-produced the movie to establish a foothold in Bollywood, decided to pull out of India and return to the U.S. after this setback.

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