As the final days of 2025 draw to a close, it's time to reflect on a year of cinematic highs and lows at the Indian box office. The enduring lesson remains clear: while cinema is a gamble, powerful content ultimately finds its audience. This year witnessed the predictable might of star-driven spectacles but was equally defined by unexpected sleeper hits that captivated viewers and rewrote success parameters.
A Mixed Bag with Content as King
Trade analysts describe 2025 as a year of contrasts. Taran Adarsh summarises it as a "mixed bag," highlighting that while there were hits and failures, the driving force was unequivocally content. "Stardom can work for a day or two, but after that, it’s the content that people talk about," he explains, citing films from 'Chhaava' to 'Dhurandhar'. He points to the success of 'Saiyaara', a film starring newcomers that thrived purely on its content and music.
Girish Wankhede notes that 2025 has been an average year for Bollywood in terms of volume, with fewer bonafide superhits than the usual 15-18. However, the standout performers have shone exceptionally bright. "Films like 'Chhaava', 'Saiyaara', 'Dhurandhar', and 'Kantara: Chapter 1' have delivered enormous box-office returns," he states. 'Dhurandhar', in particular, is a phenomenon, showing no signs of slowing down and is poised to become the fastest Hindi film to join the ₹1,000 crore club, with potential to reach ₹1,500 crore.
The K-Shape Model and ROI Champions
Producer Girish Johar introduces a compelling framework to understand 2025's trends: the 'K-shape model'. "The big hits have become bigger. Medium hits are no longer visible, and the number of washouts is also increasing," he elaborates. A film loved by the public amplifies its success rapidly from opening day, while a disliked big-ticket film can no longer rely on a traditional three-day cushion.
While 'Dhurandhar' leads in gross collections, the title of the most profitable film belongs to the animated devotional feature 'Mahavtar Narasimha'. Made on a modest budget of around ₹40 crore and released in multiple languages, it earned approximately ₹327 crore, a return that Johar describes as "ten folds of its making." Other high-ROI surprises include 'Ek Deewane Ki Deewaniyat' (budget ~₹25 crore) and the GenZ favourite 'Saiyaara' (budget ~₹45 crore).
Trends, Learnings, and the Road to 2026
The success of romantic films like 'Saiyaara', 'Tere Ishk Mein', and 'Ek Deewane Ki Deewaniyat' sparked talk of the genre's revival. Adarsh credits their impact to integral music, not just the love stories. However, Johar believes the trend is not genre-specific. "Audiences are favouring good content... the content and the concept have now become the real stars," he asserts, citing Ranveer Singh's contrasting fortunes in 'Jayeshbhai Jordaar' and the colossal 'Dhurandhar'.
Key learnings from the year include the need to cater beyond metro audiences. Adarsh warns against neglecting Tier 2 and Tier 3 centres, a practice that shrinks the theatrical audience base. Johar emphasises the primacy of emotion, as seen in the devotional response to 'Mahavtar Narasimha'.
All eyes are now on 2026, anticipated to be a colossal year for Indian cinema. Experts unanimously highlight a slate of mega-releases. Girish Johar lists 'Ramayana', 'Love And War', Shah Rukh Khan's 'King', and 'Dhurandhar 2' as major events. He reveals that 'Ramayana' plans to use advanced lip-sync dubbing for global audiences, potentially making it a historic release. Girish Wankhede identifies 'Dhurandhar Part 2', slated for an Eid release, as the expected biggest film of 2026, already generating massive pre-release buzz. The lineup also includes 'Border 2', 'Alpha', 'Bhoot Bangla', and 'Drishyam 3'.
As Taran Adarsh, a self-proclaimed optimist, concludes, "I’m very confident about 2026. There are several big films lined up, but there could be smaller surprises as well." The stage is set for another dramatic year where content will once again vie for the crown.
