Shah Rukh Khan dominates Google’s 2023 global searches in movies with double feature

As the curtain falls on 2023, Google’s Year in Search reveals a kaleidoscope of human curiosity, reflecting a world yearning for escape, connection, and, surprisingly, a taste of classic Bollywood action and drama.

Here is a list of the 10 movies most searched for in 2023:

1) Barbie

2) Oppenheimer

3) Jawan

4) Sound of Freedom

5) John Wick: Chapter 4

6) Avatar: The Way of Water

7) Everything Everywhere All at Once

8) Gadar 2

9) Creed III

10) Pathaan

Securing the top two spots on the list, Greta Gerwig’s Barbie and Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer took over the cinemas in July. These films set off an unexpected cultural phenomenon that came to the fore, one which had the internet buzzing with memes and unexpected merchandise, and reminded everyone of the duality of the human mind. 

It spotlighted the diverse spectrum of our interests, and how cinema can be the perfect melting pot of subcultures where character studies of a ‘plastic’ doll and the father of the atomic bomb can occupy the same cinematic space. It reminded us that entertainment can be both lighthearted and thought-provoking, and sometimes the most unexpected juxtapositions can spark the most engaging discussions.

Although Oppenheimer and Barbie saw their fair share of success in India (where the former outperformed its pink counterpart, surprisingly), another global phenomenon set the Indian film industry abuzz this year. 

The return of the ‘king’ of Bollywood, Shah Rukh Khan, and his triumphant comeback after a string of box office failures was nothing short of remarkable.

After a four-year hiatus, Khan stormed back onto the silver screen with two mega-blockbusters, Jawan and Pathaan. Both films shattered box office records, grossing over $300 million combined, and, in a post-pandemic world, stood tall as examples of the enduring charm of the movie theater.

More than two decades after igniting box office fire with Gadar Ek Prem Katha, Sunny Deol and Amisha Patel returned as Tara Singh and Sakina returned in Gadar 2, igniting a tidal wave of nostalgia that propelled the film to instant blockbuster status, thus securing its spot on the global most-searched for movies list. 

Other notable mentions

The launch of Chandrayaan-3 became one of the top most-searched news events this year, as it broke new ground in lunar exploration and advanced India’s spacefaring ambitions by becoming the first successful attempt at soft-landing on the lunar south pole.

Riding the wave of her box office smash Jug Jugg Jeeyo and a fairytale-worthy wedding to co-star Sidharth Malhotra, Hindi film actor Kiara Advani soared onto Google’s Year in Search list of most-searched actors globally. 

This year also proved to be a whirlwind for Shubman Gill, a rising star in Indian cricket, who landed on the list of most-searched athletes worldwide. Even though India’s campaign in the 2023 World Cup ended disappointingly in the finals, Gill was one of the few bright spots with outstanding performances throughout the tournament. 

The Indian cricket team also landed up on a list of the most-searched sports teams, owing to their spectacular performance in the 2023 World Cup.