The Cinematic Journey of 2025: Hits, Flops, and Unforgettable Surprises

The year began on a powerful note with Laxman Utekar’s historical period drama Chhaava, which portrayed the bravery and sacrifice of Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj with emotional depth. Its strong box office collections gave the industry a confident start. Alongside this, romance made a notable comeback. Films like Saiyaara, Tere Ishq Mein, Dhadak 2, Metro… In Dino and Ek Deewane Ki Deewaniyat connected deeply with viewers through heartfelt narratives and emotional storytelling.

Bollywood 2025 films review highlights and trends

Aamir Khan carried forward the tradition of meaningful cinema by releasing Sitaare Zameen Par on YouTube through a pay-per-view model instead of opting for an OTT platform. Ashwin Kumar’s animated film Mahavatar Narsimha stood tall against global animated releases and impressed audiences with its scale and vision. In the comedy space, Housefull 5 and De De Pyaar De 2 delivered light-hearted entertainment. Crime and courtroom dramas such as Raid 2 and Jolly LLB 3 added variety within popular franchises. The historical courtroom drama Kesari Chapter 2: The Untold Story of Jallianwala Bagh received mixed responses. Ayushmann Khurrana stepped into the horror-comedy universe with Thama, while the spy-action film Dhurandhar continued its strong run at the box office. The year is concluding on a cheerful note with the romantic comedy Tu Meri Main Tera, Main Tera Tu Meri.

From the 500 Crore Club to Surprise Hits

Only three films in 2025 crossed the 500-crore mark—Chhaava, Kantara: A Legend Chapter 1, and Dhurandhar. In the first quarter, Chhaava collected over 600 crore, giving the industry a solid foundation. The third quarter witnessed strong performances from Saiyaara and Mahavatar Narsimha, while the final quarter was dominated by Kantara: A Legend Chapter 1 and Dhurandhar. Featuring Ranveer Singh and Akshaye Khanna, Dhurandhar alone crossed 600 crore at the domestic box office. Overall, 14 Hindi films entered the 100-crore club in 2025, a significant rise from just eight films the previous year.

When Star Power Failed

The year also highlighted that star presence alone no longer guarantees success. War 2, featuring Hrithik Roshan and Junior NTR, failed to recover its massive budget. Salman Khan’s Eid release Sikandar could not live up to expectations. Shahid Kapoor did not leave a strong impact in Deva, the Hindi remake of the Malayalam film Mumbai Police. Similarly, films like Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari, Param Sundari, the female-led Maa starring Kajol, and Emergency featuring Kangana Ranaut struggled to attract audiences to theatres. In contrast, low-budget films such as Superboys of Malegaon, Phule, Saiyaara, Ek Deewane Ki Deewaniyat, and Haq exceeded expectations and emerged as surprise hits.

The Franchise Formula Wore Thin

In 2025, it became evident that the franchise-driven approach had started losing its charm. Several sequels failed to meet expectations despite familiar characters and established brands. Films like Son of Sardaar 2, Andaaz 2, Baaghi 4, The Bengal Files, Masti 4, and Kis Kisko Pyaar Karoon 2 indicated that repetition without freshness no longer works. Audiences now seek originality, innovation, and strong storytelling, suggesting that some long-running franchises may need to pause or reinvent themselves.

Limited Impact of South Indian Cinema

While Kantara: A Legend, Chapter 1, and Mahavatar Narsimha made a strong pan-India impact, most other South Indian pan-India releases failed to create a similar buzz. Despite the presence of major stars such as Ram Charan, Junior NTR, Kamal Haasan, and Rajinikanth, Hindi cinema performed comparatively better. According to industry reports, Hindi films collected over 4,600 crore during the year, while Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam, and Kannada films lagged behind in total collections.

The Test of New Faces

The year also proved to be a testing ground for newcomers. Saiyaara turned Ahaan Panday and Aneet Padda into overnight talking points. Ibrahim Ali Khan faced criticism and trolling for his OTT debut, Nadaaniyaan, though he showed noticeable improvement in Sarzameen. Aryan Khan stepped into direction with the web series The Bads of Bollywood. Veer Pahariya made his debut with Sky Force, though discussions revolved more around his public appearances than his performance. Rasha Thadani and Aman Devgn failed to make a mark with Azaad, while Shanaya Kapoor’s debut Aankhon Ki Gustakhiyaan also struggled. Shanaya is now set to appear alongside Mohanlal in the pan-India film Vrishabha.

Overall, 2025 delivered a clear and decisive message for Indian cinema. Big names, glamour, and star power alone are no longer enough to draw audiences into theatres. Viewers have become more discerning and now prioritize substance over spectacle.

The year firmly established that content is the real superstar. Films backed by strong scripts, fresh ideas, emotional honesty, and grounded characters not only earned appreciation but also sustained themselves at the box office. In contrast, big-budget films relying solely on star value failed to connect.

2025 made it evident that the future of cinema will be shaped not by star dominance but by creativity, credibility, and a genuine bond with the audience.