Gujarati Film Laalo Creates History with Rs 120 Crore Earnings on Tiny Budget
The Gujarati film industry witnessed an extraordinary success story this year. A small-budget film named Laalo stunned everyone by earning massive profits. Made with just Rs 1.2 crore, including promotional expenses, the film collected approximately Rs 120 crore at the box office.
This remarkable achievement makes Laalo the highest-grossing Gujarati film of all time. It completed an impressive 90-day theatrical run in Gujarati before releasing in Hindi. The film's success has sparked conversations about film budgets and star demands across India.
Industry Records Shattered by Laalo's Performance
Laalo's impact on Gujarati cinema has been tremendous. According to the Ormax box office report, the Gujarati film industry grew by a staggering 189% due to this single film. The industry's total earnings jumped from Rs 84 crore in 2024 to Rs 242 crore in 2025.
The film became the first Gujarati production to cross the Rs 100 crore mark. For comparison, the second highest-earning Gujarati film in 2025, Chaniya Toli, managed only Rs 22 crore. Laalo alone contributed 47% to the total Gujarati box office revenue.
Theater footfalls doubled from 9 lakh in 2024 to 1.8 crore in 2025 because of this film. In terms of return on investment, Laalo outperformed big-budget blockbusters like Kantara Chapter 1, Dhurandhar, and Saiyaara this year.
Humble Beginnings: From Rs 10 Pocket to Crowd-Funding
Director Ankit Sakhiya revealed the film's unconventional origins. "When we started this project, we didn't really have any budget in mind," he confessed. "We just knew we wanted to make something meaningful."
Friends provided crucial financial support throughout the journey. "I am blessed with great friends who offered help," Ankit acknowledged. "They are still traveling everywhere with me."
As production progressed, expenses mounted unexpectedly. "At first, I thought I could manage with limited resources," Ankit explained. "But filmmaking requires extensive work. Post-production, especially the songs, cost us significantly."
The director initially planned to handle coloring and sound himself. However, the footage looked so promising that professional help became necessary for theatrical release. The final budget reached Rs 1.2 crore, entirely crowd-funded by friends.
Ankit admitted to personal financial struggles during production. "I didn't even have Rs 10 in my pocket at that time," he revealed. "My friends believed in this project, but I constantly worried about repaying everyone if it failed."
Grounded Values: Why Vanity Vans Aren't a Priority
The Laalo team maintains remarkably humble attitudes despite their success. When discussing Bollywood's vanity van culture, they responded with humor and principle.
"If we ever make random demands for vanity vans, our fathers would be the first to pull our ears," Ankit said laughingly. "We come from Gujarat where people value ethics over extravagance."
Lead actor Karan Joshi emphasized focusing on craft rather than comforts. "I don't think I will ever make such demands," he stated firmly. "Acting brought me here, and losing my craft to vanity would end everything."
Karan posed a crucial question for actors considering luxury demands. "My biggest point is this: if someone spends on a vanity van for me, can I recover that cost for my producer? Can I bring back that money for the makers?"
Dharamshala Living: Eight People, One Room, Two Beds
The team's commitment to simplicity became evident during filming. Actor Shruhad Goswami described their living conditions. "For Laalo, we all lived in a dharamshala," he recalled. "The room was extremely tiny with just one washroom."
Eight team members shared that single room containing only two beds. Most slept on the floor, with Karan and Shruhad using a mattress in one corner. "The entire shoot went like that," Shruhad noted. "Vanity wasn't mandatory for us."
Karan joked about their changed circumstances post-success. "We went through that phase, and now I get a personal room," he laughed. "Now they offer us accommodations."
Ankit shared another example of their team's humility. Actress Reeva Rachh, who plays Laalo's wife, refused hotel accommodations despite being three films old. She chose to stay with the team in the dharamshala instead.
Budget Philosophy: Story Demands Determine Expenses
Addressing why filmmakers increase budgets after success, Ankit offered practical insights. "It's all about what your script demands," he explained. "If I wanted to make a film like Baahubali, I couldn't achieve that with Rs 1 crore."
He cautioned against simplistic comparisons. "It would be wrong to compare a Rs 1 crore film earning Rs 120 crore with someone spending Rs 1,000 crore," Ankit clarified. "The budget depends entirely on the film's requirements."
The director emphasized thoughtful budgeting. "We can't randomly decide to make our next film for Rs 80 lakh just because we succeeded with Rs 1 crore," he stated. "The only approach should be: what does your script demand? Does it need VFX? Is that investment worthwhile?"
Cultural Differences: Regional Simplicity Versus Bollywood Glamour
Ankit highlighted cultural distinctions between regional industries and Bollywood. "We have never heard of such demands in our industry," he observed. "Whatever happens in Bollywood, we only hear news about it. We haven't experienced that level to understand their realities."
The team isn't completely opposed to practical necessities. "We are not against vanity culture entirely," Ankit clarified. "There are situations where you cannot do without it—remote locations or when ladies need washrooms. But not just for the sake of luxury. We aren't here for picnics."
Shruhad offered a balanced perspective. "Maybe in future we'll understand why people demand vanity vans," he mused. "Perhaps they need personal space to escape crowds and prepare for characters. We've never had vanity vans, so we don't know their actual use."
Karan summarized their adaptable approach. "If a film provides vanity, okay. If not, but the content is great, we'll adjust to tiny rooms without vanity."
Ankit concluded with their guiding principle. "If luxury increases production costs and hurts the film, we can adjust to small rooms too."
