Low-budget Gujarati film Laalo has emerged as the most profitable Indian film of 2025, earning a record 19,014 per cent return on investment at the box office.
The devotional drama, made on a budget of Rs 50 lakh, has collected Rs 95.57 crore at the Indian box office and Rs 120.58 crore worldwide after 113 days in theatres. The film, titled Laalo – Krishna Sada Sahaayate, was released October 10.
Directed by Ankit Sakhiya and starring Reeva Rachh, the film delivered a 78-times return on investment, according to box office tracking website Sacnilk. It surpassed the previous profitability record held by Secret Superstar, which had reported a profit margin of about 6,000 per cent.
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Industry analysts said matching Laalo’s profit percentage would require a big-budget film such as Ranveer Singh’s Dhurandhar to earn close to Rs 30,000 crore, exceeding the worldwide collections of films like Avatar and Avengers: Endgame.
Slow start, strong turnaround
The film had a modest opening, earning Rs 33 lakh in its first week, followed by Rs 27 lakh in the second week. Reports said that by Diwali, only three shows were running across Mumbai and Gujarat.
Strong word of mouth, however, led to a sharp turnaround. The film crossed Rs 1 crore in daily collections on its 24th day, marking a key inflection point. By the fourth week, the number of shows had expanded to about 2,000.
The film recorded its highest single-day collection of Rs 7.1 crore on Day 31.
Boost for regional cinema
Laalo played a key role in a landmark year for Gujarati cinema, which crossed the Rs 100 crore box office mark for the first time. The industry also overtook Punjabi and Marathi cinema in total collections and footfalls.
Media consulting firm Ormax reported that Gujarati cinema registered 10 million footfalls by early October 2025.
The film is scheduled for a nationwide Hindi release on Jan. 9, 2026. As of Jan. 1, it continued to attract audiences, earning Rs 9 lakh on its 83rd day in theatres.
PNN