IMDb has unveiled a special report celebrating 25 years of Indian cinema on its platform, mapping the biggest trends from 2000 to 2025. Among its most striking revelations is that Rajkumar Hirani’s 2009 blockbuster 3 Idiots has emerged as the single most popular Indian film of the 21st century, outshining global hits like Baahubali, Dangal, and RRR.
The report highlights India’s “Global Moment”, tracking how crossover films have moved beyond the diaspora to win widespread international acclaim. On IMDb’s global popularity index—which measures worldwide page views as well as the percentage of traffic from outside India—3 Idiots holds an unbeatable score of 100. The film also tops IMDb’s prestigious Top 250 list of Indian titles, with over 80% of its page views coming from non-Indian audiences.
The only other Indian films to find comparable resonance overseas include Taare Zameen Par, My Name is Khan, Monsoon Wedding, and The Lunchbox. Yet none of them come close to the universal popularity of 3 Idiots. Other big titles like Dangal, RRR, and PK also rank high but trail behind Hirani’s campus drama.
Starring Aamir Khan, R Madhavan, Sharman Joshi, Kareena Kapoor, Boman Irani, and Omi Vaidya, 3 Idiots was a critical and commercial juggernaut. The film grossed over $30.5 million overseas, a record at the time, with standout collections in the US, Australia, and newer territories like South Korea and Taiwan, where it famously outperformed James Cameron’s Avatar.
Its popularity reached extraordinary heights in China, where the film became a cultural phenomenon. So much so that several universities even included it in their coursework, using it as a stress-relief tool for students.
At the time of its release, 3 Idiots was the highest-grossing Indian film ever, a record it held until Dhoom 3 surpassed it in 2013. Fifteen years on, it remains not only a box office milestone but also India’s most impactful cinematic crossover in the global arena.