Superstar who gave Bollywood its first Rs 100 crore film was slapped with a notice for juggling 41 movies!

In the early 1980s, an Indian film unexpectedly became the first from Bollywood to cross the Rs 100 crore benchmark. The feat, achieved decades before the phrase 'Rs 100 crore club' was even coined. Yet, behind the glory was an equally astonishing story- its leading man was once served a notice by the actors’ association for juggling an unbelievable 41 films at the same time.

Superstar who gave Bwood its first Rs 100 crore film was slapped with notice for juggling 41 movies

Superstar who gave Bollywood its first Rs 100 crore film was slapped with a notice for juggling 41 movies!

time

Mithun Chakraborty achieved what few could have imagined in the early 1980s. Long before the era of the Khans and before the Rs 100 crore club became Bollywood’s favourite metric, Disco Dancer (1982) had already set the benchmark. The film not only cemented Mithun Da’s status as a superstar but also became the first Indian movie to cross the Rs 100 crore mark worldwide, decades before the term “Rs 100 crore club” was coine.

Yet, just a decade later, Mithun made headlines for another reason. His staggering workload of 41 films at once earned him not applause but a formal notice from the actors’ association, warning him against overcommitment.

Also Read: Sridevi was 'madly in love' with Mithun Chakraborty, was disturbed after breakup!

Disco Dancer Crossed a Global Milestone in the 1980s

According to film historian and author Ram Kamal Mukherjee in his biography Mithun Chakraborty: The Dada of Bollywood*, the movie grossed over Rs 100 crore worldwide, largely thanks to its unprecedented success in the Soviet Union.

Reports suggest Disco Dancer earned about Rs 6.40 crore in India, while its overseas earnings- particularly in Russia, where it collected the equivalent of nearly Rs 95 crore- pushed the global tally past the Rs 100 crore mark.

Mithun himself admitted he was stunned when he learned of the film’s scale of success, saying he was “shocked” at the figure for that era. Trade analysts, however, caution that Soviet-era revenue conversions make exact box office numbers difficult to verify. Still, most agree the film was among the earliest Indian movies to achieve such worldwide dominance.

Mithun Da Once Faced Notice for Doing 41 Films Simultaneously

Beyond breaking financial barriers, Mithun was also known for his tireless work ethic. His son Namashi Chakraborty revealed in an interview that in the early 1990s, the actor was shooting 41 films simultaneously, with 35 of them featuring him as the lead.

This extreme workload led to a notice from the Cine & TV Artistes Association (CINTAA), which asked him not to exceed 40 films at once. “He even held a Guinness-like record for the most releases in a single year,” Namashi said.

Also Read: Mithun Chakraborty: Country's Top Taxpayer in 80s Awarded Top National Honour

The incident highlighted the chaotic production style of that era, when top actors often juggled dozens of overlapping projects, leading to fatigue, scheduling conflicts, and concerns over quality.

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