Amidst sustained popularity, Bollywood movies keep engaging in fierce competition to secure their spot in the coveted 100-crore club. On a parallel track, the impact of pan-Indian movies is not limited to the box office. Especially, the influence of South Indian movies transcends boundaries, taking a leading position in mainstream Indian cinema. Let's delve into the top-grossing Indian movies of 2023, discovering a captivating blend of diverse regional narratives. Top 10 Highest-earning Indian Films Dominating Box-office in 2023 Jawan | Hindi | Rs. 1,148.32 Crore Directed and co-written by debutant filmmaker Atlee, the action thriller "Jawan" had a production budget of Rs. 300 crores, which is more than BDT 397 crores at a rate of Rs. 1 = BDT 1.32. Starring Shah Rukh Khan, the film hit theaters on September 7, 2023, grossing an impressive Rs. 1,148.32 crore (exceeding BDT 1520 crore). Produced by Gauri Khan and Gaurav Verma under Red Chillies Entertainment, it emerged as the highest-grossing Indian film of 2023. As of November 10, 2023, "Jawan" has earned over Rs. 761.98 crore (BDT 1008.79 crore) in local markets and Rs. 386.34 crore (BDT 511.48 crore) overseas, securing its place as the second-highest-grossing Hindi film in history, trailing only “Dangal” (2016). Read more: Is Shah Rukh Khan Starring in Dhoom 4? Pathaan | Hindi | Rs. 1,050.30 Crore Co-written and directed by Siddharth Anand, this Yash Raj Films production had an estimated production expenditure plan of Rs. 240 crore (BDT 317.74 crore). The action thriller, featuring Shah Rukh Khan in the title role, was released in India on January 25, 2023. "Pathaan" grossed Rs. 1,050.30 crores (above BDT 1390.50 crore) worldwide, initially claiming the title of the second-highest-grossing Indian film of 2023 (before being surpassed by "Jawan") and securing the position of third-highest-grossing Hindi film of all time. To date April 6, 2023, the film has grossed Rs. 654.28 crore (BDT 866.21 crore) in India and Rs. 396.02 crore (more than BDT 524.29 crore) overseas. Read more: The year in films: A ‘cinematic’ 2023 for the industry Animal | Hindi | Rs. 888.17 Crore Directed, edited, and co-written by Sandeep Reddy Vanga, the theatrical release of "Animal" took place on December 1, 2023. With a budget of Rs. 100 crores (surpassing BDT 132.39 crore), the film, produced by Bhushan Kumar, Pranay Reddy Vanga, Krishan Kumar, and Murad Khetani, starred Ranbir Kapoor. Surpassing the lifetime worldwide collection of "Sanju" (2018), "Animal" grossed Rs. 888 crore (exceeding BDT 1175.63 crore) globally, establishing itself as the highest-grossing film of Ranbir Kapoor's career. As of December 28, 2023, the film raked in over Rs. 646.83 crore (BDT 856.35 crore) in India and Rs. 241.34 crore (above BDT 319.51 crore) in overseas markets. It holds the third spot among the highest-grossing Indian films of 2023 and stands as the highest-grossing A-rated Indian film of all time. Read more: January 2024's Top 10 Hollywood Films: A Cinematic Feast for Movie Lovers Gadar 2 | Hindi | Rs. 691.08 Crore Helmed and produced by Anil Sharma, this period action drama stormed into success, earning a whopping Rs. 691.08 crore (BDT 914.93 crore) worldwide. Released on August 11, 2023, as a sequel to Gadar: Ek Prem Katha (2001), the film features Sunny Deol, Ameesha Patel, and Utkarsh Sharma reprising their roles. With a production cost of Rs. 60 Crore (more than BDT 79.43 crore), Gadar 2 emerged as a commercial triumph, grossing Rs. 625.54 Crore (BDT 828.16 crore) domestically and an additional Rs. 65.54 crore (BDT 86.77 crore) overseas as of September 14, 2023. Leo | Tamil | Rs. 620 Crore Directed by Lokesh Kanagaraj and produced by Seven Screen Studio, "Leo" features Vijay in the titular role. With an expenditure plan of Rs. 275 crore (BDT 364.08 crore), the Tamil action film was released on October 19, 2023. Read more: January 2024 Amazon Prime Video Line-up: Must-See Shows and Movies Earning a global total of Rs. 620 crore (BDT 820.83 crore), "Leo" became the highest-grossing Tamil film of 2023, both domestically and overseas. Of its total earnings, Rs. 230 crore (BDT 304.5 crore) came from Tamil Nadu, solidifying its position as the highest-grossing film in the Lokesh Cinematic Universe.

China was the biggest global jailer of journalists last year with more than 100 behind bars, according to a press freedom group, as President Xi Jinping’s government tightened control over society. Xi's government also was one of the biggest exporters of propaganda content, according to Reporters without Boarders. China ranked second to last on the group’s annual index of press freedom, behind only neighbor North Korea. The ruling Communist Party has tightened already strict controls on media in China, where all newspapers and broadcasters are state-owned. Websites and social media are required to enforce censorship that bans material that might spread opposition to one-party rule. Also Read: Chinese who reported on COVID to be released after 3 years Xi, China’s most powerful figure in decades, called during a 2016 meeting with journalists who had been awarded official prizes for them to adhere to “the correct orientation of public opinion." Xi is pursuing a “crusade against journalism,” Reporters Without Borders said in a report Wednesday. It called China's decline in press freedom “disastrous.” Beijing operates what is regarded as the world's most extensive system of internet controls. Its filters try to block the Chinese public from seeing websites abroad operated by news outlets, governments and human rights and other activist groups. Chinese journalists have been prosecuted on charges of spying, leaking national secrets and picking quarrels, a vague accusation used to jail dissidents. Others are subjected to surveillance, intimidation and harassment. Also Read: China's foreign minister makes rare visit to Myanmar border Journalist Dong Yuyu, who worked at a ruling party-affiliated newspaper and is a former Harvard University fellow, faces espionage charges after being detained for more than one year, his family said last week. In 2022, Chinese-born Australian journalist Cheng Lei was tried in China on national security charges but has yet to learn the verdict, Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong said in March. Cheng worked for CGTN, the English-language state TV channel aimed at foreign audiences. She was detained in August 2019 and accused of sharing state secrets. In Hong Kong, the Communist Party forced a prominent newspaper, Apple Daily, to shut down as part of a crackdown on pro-democracy sentiment. Apple Daily's founder, Jimmy Lai, was convicted of fraud last year that his supporters said were politically motivated. Six other former executives of the newspaper pleaded guilty.