Bheja Fry (2007): This Sagar Bally-directed satirical comedy was made on a budget of merely Rs 8 crore. It starred Vinay Pathak, Milind Soman and Rajat Kapoor. Excellent direction, genuinely funny moments and stellar performances resulted in the film being a surprise hit.
Paan Singh Tomar (2012): Irrfan Khan was known as one of the finest actors in Indian cinema and yet he never had the stardom of a commercial mass hero. His Paan Singh Tomar was made on a budget of Rs 8 crore. The Tigmanshu Dhulia directorial earned Rs 20 crore at the box office, making it a commercial success.
Kahaani (2012): Although Vidya Balan was a bankable star when Sujoy Ghosh’s Kahaani was made, the film had a very low budget of just Rs 8 crore and yet became one of the biggest hits of 2012 due to its gripping storyline.
No One Killed Jessica (2011): In a male-dominated industry, two women Rani Mukerji and Vidya Balan pulled off this film by Raj Kumar Gupta very well. With a budget of Rs 9 crore and a story on one of the most controversial homicides in the country, the film earned more than Rs 100 crore at the box office.
Tere Bin Laden (2010): Directed by Abhishek Sharma, this brilliant social satire had newcomers and unknown faces like Pradhuman Singh and Ali Zafar and a budget of merely Rs 5 crore. However, it earned Rs 15 crore, earning profit for the producers.
A Wednesday (2008): Neeraj Pandey pitted two veterans of Hindi cinema, Anupam Kher and Naseeruddin Shah against each other in this suspenseful thriller. Made on a meagre budget of Rs 5 crore, it earned Rs 30 crore at the box office.
Lipstick Under My Burkha (2016): Director Alankrita Shrivastava made this movie, exploring the topic of women’s empowerment, by touching upon subjects of rampant sexism and misogyny in society. The film resonated with the young generation and earned around Rs 21 crore after being made on a budget of Rs 6 crore.