Director Santosh Sivan
· Cast Shah Rukh Khan, Kareena Kapoor, Hrishita Bhatt
· Released Oct 26, 2001
Worldwide
₹18 Cr India nett
Gross collection
India Nett
₹18 Cr
After GST
Overseas
₹₹4 Cr
International gross
Budget
₹30 Cr
Production cost
Boxoffy VerdictFlop
Asoka ended as a Flop at the Indian box office. With ₹18 Cr India nett against a reported budget of ₹30 Cr, representing a 60% return on production cost, the film failed to recover its total investment theatrically. A Flop verdict means theatrical revenue was insufficient to cover production and distribution costs — though OTT rights, satellite deals and music licensing often partially offset the losses. Industry verdicts consider theatrical performance only.
Boxoffy Read
Santosh Sivan's Asoka is the most visually accomplished Indian historical epic of the 2000s — Sivan's cinematography treated the Mauryan period with a painterly precision that made every frame a composition. Shah Rukh Khan's performance as the young emperor is physically committed, and the film's fictional romance at its centre provides the emotional access point the historical scale would otherwise deny. That it was a commercial disappointment reflects the difficulty of the material.
Financial AnalysisBox Office vs Budget
Asoka was reportedly made on a budget of ₹30 Cr. Against that investment, the film collected ₹18 Cr India nett — a 0.6x multiple on production cost and a 60% return on the reported budget. Worldwide gross reached ₹18 Cr, including overseas contribution of ₹-3.24 Cr.
Break-even at the Indian box office typically requires approximately 1.5x the production budget once prints, advertising and distribution costs are factored in — placing the break-even threshold for Asoka at roughly ₹45 Cr India nett. The film fell short of this threshold, resulting in the Flop verdict.
Asoka is classified as a Flop by Boxoffy. The film collected ₹18 Cr India nett against a reported budget of ₹30 Cr. The film fell short of break-even theatrically.
Asoka collected ₹18 Cr India nett at the box office, with a worldwide gross of ₹18 Cr India nett. The India nett figure represents collections after GST extraction, as reported by Box Office India and cross-referenced with Sacnilk and Pinkvilla.
Asoka released in 2001 and is likely available on major Indian streaming platforms. Check Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, JioHotstar, ZEE5 and SonyLIV for current availability, as OTT rights shift periodically.
Asoka was directed by Santosh Sivan. The 2001 Hindi film earned a Flop verdict at the Indian box office, collecting ₹18 Cr India nett.