Newsroom, December 03, 2025: In a year that was supposed to belong to sequels and superstars, Bollywood's 2025 box office delivered a humbling plot twist: films with fresh narratives and unheralded talents raked in the cash, while big-banner behemoths sputtered.
Chhaava, Vicky Kaushal's take on Chhatrapati Sambhaji, stormed past Rs 800 crore worldwide, becoming India's top grosser and proving that historical epics with sharp storytelling can outshine franchise fatigue. Saiyaara, Mohit Suri's romance starring newcomers Ahaan Pandey and Aneet Padda, clocked over Rs 570 crore, its viral soundtrack and emotional pull resonating in a market weary of recycled tropes.
The flops were equally telling. War 2, with Hrithik Roshan and Jr. NTR, was tipped for Rs 500 crore but limped to under Rs 350 crore, its action overload unable to mask a predictable script. Kantara Chapter 1 followed suit, failing to match its predecessor's magic and stalling at Rs 280 crore despite Rishab Shetty's star power.
Salman Khan's Sikandar, Akshay Kumar's Kesari Chapter 2, and Ajay Devgn's Son of Sardaar 2 all hovered below Rs 200 crore, their reliance on nostalgia and spectacle no match for audiences craving authenticity. Even Housefull 5 and Thamma, with their ensemble casts, barely scraped Rs 300 crore, underscoring the diminishing returns of formulaic comedy.
Small films like Mahavatar Narsimha, an animated mythological drama with a Rs 15 crore budget, exploded to Rs 326 crore a 2,173% return, thanks to family viewings and digital buzz. Ek Deewane Ki Deewaniyat, with Harshvardhan Rane and Sonam Bajwa, crossed Rs 80 crore on word-of-mouth alone, while Tere Ishq Mein, Dhanush and Kriti Sanon's understated romance, notched a Rs 51 crore opening weekend.
The trend signals a Bollywood reckoning: in a Rs 12,000 crore market, unpredictability reigns. Studios like Yash Raj and Dharma, burned by War 2 and Housefull 5, are pivoting to mid-budget originals, while newcomers like Ahaan Pandey prove star pedigrees aren't prerequisites for stardom.
