Tourist Family: India’s Most Profitable Film of 2025
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“Tourist Family,” a heartwarming Tamil slice-of-life comedy-drama directed by debutant Abishan Jeevinth, has taken the Indian box office by surprise. Made on a modest budget of just ₹7 crore, the film has earned over ₹90 crore globally—an astonishing profit margin of approximately 1200%.
Released on 29 April 2025, the movie features a compelling ensemble cast led by M. Sasikumar, Simran, Mithun Jai Sankar, and Kamalesh Jagan. It tells the touching story of a Sri Lankan Tamil family migrating to India in search of better opportunities, blending humour with emotional resonance.
Critics applauded the film’s authentic storytelling, performances, and musical score by Sean Roldan. While “Tourist Family” collected ₹23 crore in its first week, positive word-of-mouth propelled it to ₹52 crore by week two. Within five weeks of theatrical release, it reached ₹90 crore globally, with ₹62 crore earned from the Indian market alone.
This profit rate surpasses that of major Hindi releases. For instance, “Chhaava” grossed ₹800 crore on a ₹90 crore budget (~800% profit), while Aamir Khan’s “Sitaare Zameen Par” offered around 300% profit, and Salman Khan’s “Sikandar” fell short of such returns, despite high earnings.
Other regional films showed strong figures too: Malayalam’s “Thudarum” saw around 720% profit, Tamil’s “Dragon” about 300%, and Telugu’s “Sankranthiki Vasthunam” also about 300% on a ₹60 crore investment.
“Tourist Family” not only exemplifies the power of grassroots cinema but also proves that well-crafted storytelling on a shoestring budget can outperform lavish productions in raw profitability. It stands as a hopeful indicator for aspiring filmmakers, demonstrating that smaller films with heart and honesty can still deliver blockbuster success.
