Rishi Kapoor made his Bollywood debut with Dimple Kapadia in Bobby, which hit cinemas on September 28, 1973—exactly 52 years ago.
The film was an instant hit, making both actors overnight stars and helping Raj Kapoor recover from Mera Naam Joker’s losses.
With a budget of ₹1.25 crore, Bobby earned ₹29 crore worldwide, delivering an unmatched 400% profit—a record that remains unbeaten. Even Bollywood’s biggest names, from Sunny Deol and Abhishek Bachchan to Ranbir Kapoor and Tiger Shroff, couldn’t surpass it.
The closest contender was Hrithik Roshan’s Kaho Naa… Pyaar Hai, which achieved nearly 350% profit. Meanwhile, Sanjay Dutt’s Rocky and Sunny Deol’s Beta earned 71.4% and 294.4% profit, respectively.
Even after five decades, Rishi Kapoor’s box office milestone stands strong—will Bollywood ever see a film break this legendary record?
As new generations of stars continue to rise, Bobby remains a timeless benchmark of success. Whether the industry will ever witness another film that outshines its staggering profitability is a question that keeps Bollywood fans intrigued.
