By the numbers
- Films: 76 since 1997; 20 in the last ten years
- Recent films with figures: 6 of 14 since 2018
- Hits: 1 (0 blockbusters), average: 3, flops: 2 – a hit rate of 17%
- Average return: 1.27x budget; best: Kotigobba 3 1.81x; weakest: Kabzaa 0.25x
- Biggest hit: Sye Raa Narasimha Reddy (2019), ₹240 cr
- Trend: last five films 1.25x on average, the five before 1.35x (down)
| Year | Film | Budget | Box office | Return | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Mark | – | – | – | No figures |
| 2024 | Max | – | ₹62 cr | – | No figures |
| 2023 | Kabzaa | ₹120 cr | ₹30 cr | 0.25x | Flop |
| 2022 | Ravi Bopanna | – | – | – | No figures |
| 2022 | Vikrant Rona | ₹95 cr | ₹158 cr | 1.67x | Average |
| 2021 | Kotigobba 3 | ₹25 cr | ₹45 cr | 1.81x | Hit |
| 2021 | Mangalavara Rajaadina | – | – | – | No figures |
| 2019 | Dabangg 3 | – | – | – | No figures |
| 2019 | Sye Raa Narasimha Reddy | ₹200 cr | ₹240 cr | 1.20x | Flop |
| 2019 | Pailwaan | ₹40 cr | ₹53 cr | 1.32x | Average |
| 2018 | The Villain | ₹40 cr | ₹54 cr | 1.35x | Average |
| 2018 | Ambi Ning Vayassaytho | – | – | – | No figures |
| 2018 | Kicchu | – | – | – | No figures |
| 2018 | Raju Kannada Medium | – | – | – | No figures |
Figures as of 25 September 2026. Sudeep’s filmography runs to 76 films from 1997 to 2026, with 20 films in the last decade. But the scorecard narrows quickly: only 6 of those films carry budget and gross figures in the table above. Across that scored set, the record is 1 hit, 0 blockbusters, 3 average results and 2 flops. The hit rate sits at 17 and the average multiple is 1.27. The page’s reported gross total is ₹642.5 cr.
What the numbers say
The headline is not a dominant star record. With one hit in six scored films, the table above shows an actor whose films can scale but often struggle to clear their costs. The average multiple of 1.27 leaves little room after marketing and distribution costs, and the absence of any blockbuster among the reported titles stands out.
The hits and the misses
The only outright hit in the scored set is Kotigobba 3 (2021), made on a ₹25.0 cr budget and grossing ₹45.32 cr for a 1.81 multiple. That is the best return in the table. The weakest return is Kabzaa (2023): a ₹120.0 cr budget against a ₹30.0 cr gross for a 0.25 multiple and a Flop verdict.
The highest grosser in the table is Sye Raa Narasimha Reddy (2019) at ₹240.0 cr. Against its ₹200.0 cr budget, that is a 1.2 multiple and still a Flop verdict. The mid-range results are consistent: The Villain (1.35), Pailwaan (1.32) and Vikrant Rona (1.67) all land as Average. Scale is present; efficiency is not.
The trend
The recent five average is 1.25; the previous five average is 1.35. That is a 0.10-point fall in return efficiency. After Kotigobba 3’s 1.81 hit, the next scored titles include Vikrant Rona at 1.67 and then Kabzaa at 0.25, so the scored tail is not improving.
Several recent films cannot be scored at all. Max (2024) has a reported gross of ₹62.0 cr but no budget, so no multiple. Raju Kannada Medium, Kicchu, Ambi Ning Vayassaytho, Dabangg 3, Mangalavara Rajaadina, Ravi Bopanna and Mark carry no figures in the table.
What it means for the actor’s next film and for the industry
For Sudeep’s next film, the scored evidence argues for discipline. Only 1 of the 6 films with data was a hit, and the average multiple is 1.27. A ₹120.0 cr bet like Kabzaa returning ₹30.0 cr gross leaves no margin for a star to absorb weak writing or release pressure. The safer basis for a greenlight is the multiple, not the name.
For the Kannada industry, this scorecard is a reminder that gross and profitability are different measures. A film can gross ₹240.0 cr and still be a Flop; a ₹45.32 cr gross can be a Hit. The next Sudeep title should be judged on whether it pushes the average multiple above 1.27, not on its opening-day poster.
Figures: Sudeepa filmography on Wikipedia and each film’s page, read on 25 September 2026.
