2025 turned out to be one of the most polarising years for Bollywood at the box office. While a handful of films rewrote records and reaffirmed theatrical faith, several big-ticket releases failed to justify their budgets. From historic blockbusters to surprising underperformers, here’s a detailed look at how Hindi cinema fared theatrically in 2025.
Dhurandhar
Aditya Dhar’s espionage actioner starring Ranveer Singh and Akshaye Khanna emerged as the biggest phenomenon of the year. Mounted on a massive scale, the film delivered across metros and mass belts, with repeat audiences driving its historic run.India net collection: Rs 690 croreWorldwide gross: Rs 1,025+ crore (Ongoing)Status: All-time blockbuster
Chhaava
Vicky Kaushal’s historical drama struck a deep emotional chord, especially in Maharashtra and North India. Strong storytelling, patriotic sentiment, and sustained word of mouth helped the film enjoy a long theatrical run.India net collection: Rs 601.54 croreWorldwide gross: Rs 807.91 croreStatus: All-time blockbuster
Saiyaara
A romantic drama led by debutants Ahaan Panday and Aneet Padda, Saiyaara proved that fresh faces and music-driven love stories still have box office pull when emotions click with audiences.India net collection: Rs 329.73 croreWorldwide gross: Rs 569.75 croreStatus: Blockbuster
Kantara : A Legend – Chapter 1 (Hindi version included)
Rishab Shetty’s mythological action drama continued its cultural dominance with the prequel, performing strongly across languages, including the Hindi belt.India net collection (all versions): Rs 622.04 croreWorldwide gross: Rs 852.19 croreStatus: Super Hit
War 2
The sequel to War brought together Hrithik Roshan and Jr NTR in a slick spy universe setup. While expectations were sky-high, the film delivered solid but not extraordinary numbers.India net collection: Rs 236.55 croreWorldwide gross: Rs 364.35 croreStatus: Flop
Sitaare Zameen Par
Aamir Khan’s emotional drama resonated with family audiences and urban centres. While not a mass blockbuster, the film showed excellent legs.India net collection: Rs 166.19 croreWorldwide gross: Rs 267.52 croreStatus: Hit
Housefull 5
The fifth instalment of the comedy franchise relied heavily on scale and ensemble humour. Despite mixed reviews, the franchise loyalty ensured steady footfalls.India net collection: Rs 183.38 croreWorldwide gross: Rs 288.67 croreStatus: Hit
Raid 2
Ajay Devgn’s return as the upright income tax officer found appreciation among audiences who enjoy grounded thrillers. The sequel benefitted from goodwill of the first film.India net collection: Rs 165 croreWorldwide gross: Rs 237 croreStatus: Hit
Jolly LLB 3
The courtroom drama managed to strike a balance between humour and social commentary. While it didn’t match earlier instalments’ impact, it stayed profitable.India net collection: Rs 115 croreWorldwide gross: Rs 170.8 croreStatus: Average
Ek Deewane Ki Deewaniyat
A mid-budget romantic drama that capitalised on the festive Diwali window. Strong music and emotional appeal helped it cross the Rs 100-crore mark.India net collection: Rs 82 croreWorldwide gross: Rs 112 croreStatus: Hit
Thamma
This horror-comedy, starring Ayushmann Khurrana and Rashmika Mandanna, had a promising opening but lost steam after the first week due to mixed word of mouth.India net collection: Rs 133.88 croreWorldwide gross: Rs 187.59 croreStatus: Average
Sky Force
Despite patriotic appeal and scale, the film struggled due to a high budget and inconsistent storytelling.India net collection: Rs 113.62 croreWorldwide gross: Rs 150.01 croreStatus: Average
Sikandar
Salman Khan’s mass action entertainer failed to live up to expectations. Weak content and audience fatigue reflected clearly in collections.India net collection: Rs 108 croreWorldwide gross: Rs 165 croreStatus: Flop
Tu Meri Main Tera Main Teri Tu Mera
This romantic comedy failed to find an audience amidst heavy competition from bigger releases like Ranveer Singh’s Dhurandhar and James Cameron’s Avatar: Fire and Ash. India net collection: Rs 22 croreWorldwide gross: Rs 25 croreStatus: Ongoing
De De Pyaar De 2
Ajay Devgn returned as the unconventional romantic hero in this sequel, which leaned heavily on humour, mature relationship dynamics and franchise familiarity. While it didn’t recreate the freshness of the first film, it found acceptance among urban audiences and families.India net collection: Rs 74.17 croreWorldwide gross: Rs 111.76 croreStatus: Above average
Tere Ishk Mein
Dhanush and Kriti Sanon’s romantic drama opened well on the back of music and curiosity value. However, competition in later weeks slowed its momentum. Still, crossing the Rs 100-crore India net mark ensured its commercial safety.India net collection: Rs 109.80 croreStatus: Hit
Kis Kisko Pyaar Karoon 2
Kapil Sharma’s sequel failed to recreate the novelty of the original. Despite decent initial footfalls, poor word of mouth and heavy competition resulted in a sharp drop after the opening weekend.India net collection: Rs 11.9 croreWorldwide gross: Rs 15.75 croreStatus: Flop
Mastiii 4
The fourth installment of the adult comedy franchise arrived with brand recall but little freshness. While it saw some curiosity-driven footfalls initially, the lack of strong buzz meant it never became a box office talking point.India net collection: Rs 14.9 croreStatus: Flop
120 Bahadur
Farhan Akhtar’s patriotic action drama released quietly with limited buzz and failed to register a significant theatrical footprint. Despite its subject, it did not translate into box office traction.India net collection: Rs 18 croreStatus: Flop
Dhadak 2
A spiritual sequel rather than a direct continuation, Dhadak 2 starring Siddhant Chaturvedi and Triptii Dimri attempted to explore love against socio-political conflict. India net collection: Rs 22.45 croreStatus: Flop
Gustaakh Ishq
A relationship-driven drama, starring Vijay Varma and Fatima Sana Shaikh, that aimed for emotional depth but struggled to cut through the noise at the box office. Limited screens and modest promotion restricted its theatrical reach.India net collection: Rs 2 croreStatus: Flop
Kesari Chapter 2
Positioned as a thematic successor rather than a direct sequel, the film carried expectations due to the brand value of Kesari. India net collection: Rs 88.05 croreWorldwide gross: Rs 145 croreStatus: Average
Jaat
A mass-oriented film rooted in regional pride and action, Jaat, starring Sunny Deol and Randeep Hooda, found appreciation in select belts. India net collection: Rs 90 croreWorldwide gross: Rs 125 croreStatus: Average
Bhool Chuk Maaf
This social comedy-drama attempted to blend humour with a message, but struggled to sustain momentum theatrically. Trade estimates exist, but Sacnilk verification is currently unavailable.India net collection: Rs 72.73 croreStatus: Hit
Metro… In Dino
An ensemble urban drama exploring modern relationships, the film catered to multiplex audiences. While critically discussed, it remained niche in commercial terms.India net collection: Rs 53 croreWorldwide gross: Rs 70 croreStatus: Average
Son of Sardaar 2
The sequel banked heavily on nostalgia and loud humour. Despite opening interest, it did not dominate the box office conversation as expected from a franchise film.India net collection: Rs 47 croreWorldwide gross: Rs 65 croreStatus: Flop
The Diplomat
A political thriller that relied more on performances than spectacle, The Diplomat remained low-key at the box office, attracting a limited but engaged audience.India net collection: Rs 36.75Status: Average
The Taj Story
A historical drama attempting to blend grandeur with emotion, the film generated curiosity but failed to emerge as a major commercial event.India net collection: Rs 20 croreStatus: Flop
Haq
A small-scale, content-driven film, Haq released with minimal promotion and stayed largely off mainstream box office radar.India net collection: Rs 18 croreStatus: Flop
Sanam Teri Kasam (Re-release)
The re-release of the cult romantic drama, starring Harshvardhan Rane and Mawra Hocane, once again proved that emotional connect can outlive initial box office fate. While not a 2025 original, its re-run saw renewed audience interest.India net collection: Rs 41 croreWorldwide gross: Rs 53 croreStatus: Cult favourite (re-release)DISCLAIMER: The box office numbers in this article are compiled from our proprietary sources and diverse public data. While we strive for accuracy, all figures are approximate unless explicitly mentioned, offering a fair representation of the project’s box office performance. We are open to feedback and suggestions on toientertainment@timesinternet.in.
