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Despite 180 flops and 47 disasters, THIS actor became a cult icon in Russia — His name will surprise you

TOI Entertainment Desk
| ETimes.in | Last updated on - Nov 27, 2025, 21:00 IST
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1/5

An unusual legacy in a star-studded era

Bollywood has witnessed many superstars whose evergreen hits have inspired generations of aspiring actors. Every artist dreams of being celebrated as a blockbuster hero, never a flop star. Yet, there exists one unique case—an actor who rose to prominence in an era ruled by Amitabh Bachchan, Dharmendra, Vinod Khanna, and Rishi Kapoor. Despite facing an unusually high number of failures, he built a loyal fan base across the world. Remarkably, he enjoys a cult following in Russia, where one of his films remains the country’s highest-grossing Indian movie.

2/5

The star with the most box office flops

The actor with the maximum number of box office failures in Bollywood is Mithun Chakraborty. Over a career spanning more than five decades, he has reportedly acted in over 350 films across various Indian languages. While he dominated Hindi and Bengali cinema, he also appeared in Odia, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, and Punjabi films. Industry reports state he delivered 180 flops and 47 disasters—numbers unmatched by any other actor in Indian cinema. Despite this, Mithun remains a respected and enduring star.

3/5

A superstar despite setbacks

What makes Mithun’s journey remarkable is how he balanced failures with iconic successes. His film ‘Disco Dancer’ became a massive blockbuster not just in India but also in Russia. It continues to hold the record for the highest-grossing Indian film in the country. His ability to connect with audiences, reinvent himself, and deliver memorable performances helped him maintain stardom even when the box office did not favour him.

4/5

Mithun has not watched many of his own films

According to DNA, in a surprising revelation, Mithun admitted he has not watched nearly 200 of his own films. He once shared, “I have done more than 370 films, out of which I have not seen about 200 films to date. Of these, 150 films also completed Golden Jubilee and Diamond Jubilee, and many ran on screen for two years, but even in those 200 films, I worked with complete honesty and hard work.” His statement reflects his humility and dedication to the craft, regardless of commercial outcomes.

5/5

His most recent release also failed to impress

On the professional front, Mithun Chakraborty was last seen in ‘The Bengal Files’, directed by Vivek Agnihotri as part of The Files franchise. Despite considerable buzz, the film failed to perform at the box office. It ultimately turned into another commercial disaster in his long and unpredictable career. Yet, Mithun continues to remain a beloved figure, proving that charisma can outshine numbers.

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