Marathi Cinema Roars Back as Two Films Cross ₹100 Crore

The Marathi film industry has scripted a remarkable comeback in 2026, silencing long-standing concerns over weak box office collections. While Marathi cinema has consistently earned critical acclaim and National Awards, this year it has also emerged as a commercial powerhouse, with multiple films delivering impressive theatrical performances.

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Leading the charge are ‘Raja Shivaji’ and ‘Deulband 2’, both of which crossed the prestigious ₹100 crore mark, creating history for Marathi cinema. The films struck a strong emotional chord with audiences by celebrating Marathi pride, culture, history and deep-rooted traditions, resulting in packed theatres and housefull shows across Maharashtra.

Despite frequent complaints about Marathi films receiving fewer shows in multiplexes, the industry’s latest success has proved that quality content can compete with mainstream Hindi cinema when backed by audience support.

The momentum built over the years since Nagraj Manjule’s ‘Sairat’, which transformed Marathi cinema’s commercial landscape. Released a decade ago, Sairat became a cultural phenomenon through strong word-of-mouth and collected ₹80.98 crore in India and ₹110 crore worldwide, setting a benchmark for future Marathi blockbusters.

The first six months of 2026 alone witnessed the release of more than 35 Marathi films, several of which performed well at the box office.

Among them, ‘Krantijyoti Vidyalaya Marathi Madhyam’, based on the condition of Marathi-medium schools, earned ₹32 crore, while horror-comedy ‘Tumbadchi Manjula’ collected ₹19.34 crore. Family entertainer ‘Aga Aga Sunbai! Kay Mhantay Sasubai?’ grossed ₹10.23 crore, whereas ‘Ghabadkund’ earned ₹8.26 crore.

Directed by Riteish Deshmukh, the historical epic ‘Raja Shivaji’ emerged as the biggest blockbuster in Marathi cinema. Made on a budget of ₹75 crore, the film shattered records by collecting ₹130 crore worldwide, making it the highest-grossing Marathi film of all time.

Meanwhile, Pravin Tarde’s ‘Deulband 2’ turned out to be the surprise blockbuster of 2026. Produced on a modest ₹10 crore budget, the devotional drama earned an outstanding ₹105.11 crore, proving that compelling storytelling can deliver extraordinary commercial success.

Film critic Dilip Thakur said that releasing a film is only the beginning and that effective marketing is equally important for commercial success. According to him, several more Marathi films could have performed better this year had they received stronger promotional support.

Actor-director Pravin Tarde described 2026 as a “golden year” for Marathi cinema, saying audiences wholeheartedly embraced films that reflected Maharashtra’s identity, history and cultural roots.

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