New Tamil Movie Stills

One common ailment that every actor in K-Town and BTown suffers from is Friday jitters. A trade source says, "Actors often get affected with media reports over their brawls, alleged link-ups and socially-unacceptable behaviour, but nothing affects them more than the fate of their films at the box office, or the media obsession surrounding it."

The source adds that all eyes are now on the box office, "and while an actor can manipulate the media with regard to most things that portray him in a negative light or at least attempt a fair amount of damage control, he cannot fudge box office figures because this is the judgement of the junta."

Till March 2012, Akshay Kumar was not even in the reckoning for the top honours. But the Khiladi, who'd hit a bad patch with films like Tashan (2008), Chandni Chowk To China, 8x10 — Tasveer, Kambakht Ishq, Blue, De Dana Dan (all in 2009); Khatta Meetha, Action Replayy, Tees Maar Khan (all in 2010); Patiala House, Thank You, Desi Boyz (all in 2011), was trying to hold on to his superstar status by tooth of nail. In April, with the release of Housefull 2, the scales finally started to tip in his favour.

But it was the June 1 release of the Prabhu Dheva-directed Rowdy Rathore that has really put the actor back on top with the likes of Aamir Khan and Salman Khan. The masala potboiler was critically slammed but has gone on to do wonders at the box office and found itself a place of pride in Bollywood's most coveted 100 crore club.

However, for us, it is Superstar Rajinikanth's Robot or Endhiran that continues to be the benchmark in Tamil cinema in terms of box office collections. Despite other movies and actors trying hard to replicate this success, no one has been able to make a mark. And Rajini's film proudly stands firmly in the second position in the list of all-time highest grossing films.

BOX OFFICE COLLECTIONS (IN CRORES)
1. 3 Idiots - 202 cr
2. Robot/ Endhiran - 200 cr
3. Bodyguard - 148 cr
4. Dabangg - 143 cr
5. Rowdy Rathore - 128 cr*
6. Agneepath - 122 cr
7. Ready - 121 cr
8. RA.One - 118 cr

(including Tamil, Telugu)
9. Ghajini - 115 cr
10. Housefull 2 - 112 cr
11. Don 2 - 110 cr
12. Golmaal 3 - 108 cr
13. Singham - 100 cr

(*Rowdy Rathore is still running in the fourth week)

*Figures mentioned in box include close approximations on monies from satellite, overseas, music and ancillary rights)