The year 2025 proved eventful for Bollywood, with over 100 films released, yet many big-name projects, including Salman Khan’s Sultan and Kapil Sharma’s Kis Kis Ko Pyaar Karoon 2, failed to perform at the box office. However, several of these films found success on OTT platforms, gaining viewership and revenue despite theatrical underperformance.
A notable trend this year was the popularity of films with anti-Pakistan narratives, most prominently the Dharandhar series. Directed by Indian filmmaker Aditya Dhar, the film depicted Karachi’s Lyari neighborhood negatively, prompting widespread social media criticism over its portrayal of characters disconnected from reality. Nonetheless, Akshay Khanna’s performance as Rahman Daku drew acclaim, and the film grossed over ₹707 crore domestically and ₹907 crore worldwide since its December 5 release, making it one of the year’s top earners. The ensemble cast included Ranveer Singh (as Hamza Ali Mazari), Akshay Khanna, Sanjay Dutt (as Chaudhry Aslam Shaheed), and Arjun Rampal (as a secret agency officer).
The biggest commercial hit of the year was Chhawa, starring Vicky Kaushal, Rashmika Mandanna, and Akshay Khanna, directed by renowned filmmaker Lakshman Utekar under the Medak Films banner. Released on February 14 with a budget of ₹150 crore, the film explores glimpses of Chhatrapati Subhaji Maharaj’s life and his journey to the throne after Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj’s death. It earned ₹716 crore in India and ₹807 crore worldwide.
Another surprise success was the romantic drama Siara, directed by Mohit Suri, featuring debutants Ahan Pandey and Anit Padda. Despite a fresh cast, the film entered the ₹100 crore club within days of release, eventually grossing over ₹570 crore worldwide on a modest ₹50 crore budget, demonstrating that strong scripts, impactful performances, and skilled direction can drive box office success even with new talent.
Conversely, the sequel War 2, starring Jr NTR alongside Hrithik Roshan and Kiara Advani, failed to meet expectations despite being part of the successful Yash Raj Spy Universe. Released on August 14 with a budget of ₹400 crore, it grossed ₹366 crore worldwide, underperforming relative to its budget but still outperforming other flops of the year.
Similarly, Housefull 5 struggled at the box office, though its large ensemble cast including Akshay Kumar, Abhishek Bachchan, Sanjay Dutt, and others, helped it earn ₹290 crore globally against a ₹250 crore budget, ranking it fifth in annual earnings.
The 2025 Bollywood landscape underscores a shifting audience preference, with strong scripts, fresh talent, and OTT distribution proving as crucial as star power for commercial success.
