Top hits and flops at Box Office 2025: Dhurandhar, Saiyaara among highest-grossing Indian movies this year; Sikandar, Emergency biggest failures

In the year 2025, the Bollywood box office saw a mix of record-breaking blockbusters, surprise hits, big-budget movies that failed to meet the expectations of the audience. While spy thrillers entertainers like Dhurandhar and emotional dramas like Saiyaara, audiences rushed to theatres in large numbers, shaping a year full of highs and lows. However, despite A-listers Bhaagi 4, Sikandar, Bollywood also witnessed major flops this year. Chhaava, Saiyaara, Housefull 5 and Kantara: Chapter 1, among others are in the list of highest-grossing films of the year. Ranveer Singh starrer 'Dhurandhar' is also ruling at the box office. But some big-budget movies with big star casts tanked at the box office. These films include Salman Khan's Sikandar, Tiger Shroff's Baaghi 4, Kangana Ranaut's Emergency and more.

Bollywood box office hits in 2025

Dhurandhar: Aditya Dhar's Dhurandhar has been rewriting the box office records with each passing day as the octane spy thriller neared Rs 900 crore mark ahead of the Christmas holiday. Despite facing stiff competition from 'Avatar: Fire and Ash', the movie has managed to maintain its lead over the Hollywood release. The film’s all-India gross collections have surged past the Rs 700 crore milestone, currently standing at an estimated Rs 707.5 crore, as per TOI. Overseas, the film continues to show strong traction and is fast approaching the Rs 200 crore mark. Released on December 5, the film stars Ranveer Singh, Akshaye Khanna, Arjun Rampal, R Madhavan, and Sanjay Dutt in pivotal roles.

Kantara: A Legend- Chapter 1: The year 2025 was a fantastic year for the Kannada film industry, with Rishab Shetty’s Kantara: A Legend – Chapter 1 securing the top position. Kantara: A Legend- Chapter 1 was released on October 2 and went on to become one of the highest grossing Indian movies of the year in both domestic and worldwide. Backed by Hombale Films—best known for the KGF franchise- the movie collected Rs 852.26 crore worldwide, according to The Indian Express. A prequel to the 2022 blockbuster, Kantara: A Legend- Chapter 1 was made on a budget of Rs 125 crore the movie beat the original Kantara by over 30 percent, according to PinkVilla.


Saiyaara: This year's surprise was Saiyaara. Ahaan Panday and Aneet Padda's sensational debut ended its theatrical run with a final worldwide haul of ₹570 crore, according to Hindustan Times. Directed by Mohit Suri, Saiyaara opened to positive reviews despite no media interactions and minimal promotions. The movie managed to beat some past heavyweights like Salman Khan's Sultan ( ₹300 crore), Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Padmaavat ( ₹302 crore), and Kartik Aaryan's Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3 ( ₹260 crore). The music of Saiyaara was also loved by the audience and its songs went viral across Instagram.

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Chhava: Vicky Kaushal-starrer Chhaava was one of the most talked-about Bollywood movies of the year. Released on February 14, Chhava surpassed ₹600 crore in India, becoming the third film to achieve this milestone after Pushpa 2 and Stree 2. Based on the life of Maratha warrior Chattrapati Sambhaji Maharaj, son of Chattrapati Shivaji Maharaj, Chhava received mixed reviews but drew widespread praise for Akshaye Khanna’s portrayal of Aurangzeb. Directed by Laxman Utekar, Chhava was reportedly made on a budget ranging between Rs 90 and Rs 130 crore.

Coolie: Coolie delves into a man's relentless quest for vengeance since youth, driven by righting past wrongs, shaping his very existence. Rajinikanth’s Coolie was one of the year’s most eagerly awaited films and was reportedly made on a staggering budget of around Rs 400 crore. Despite boasting a star-studded ensemble that included Aamir Khan, Nagarjuna, and Soubin Shahir, the film fell short of converting its massive pre-release buzz into a runaway box-office triumph. Released on August 14 in a high-profile clash with War 2, Coolie delivered an average performance, collecting about Rs 518 crore globally.

Bollywood flops of 2025

Sikandar: Sikandar is one of the major flops of 2025. Directed by AR Murugadoss, the film opened to poor reviews and was a huge flop at the box office. Sikandar was made on a budget of Rs 200 crore and its worldwide gross collection Rs 182.7 crore. It earned a domestic net collection of Rs 108.7 crore. Starring Salman Khan and Rashmika Mandanna, the film blends action and family drama with social themes.

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Emergency: Kangana Ranaut's political drama Emergency struggled at the box office despite high expectations, earning only around Rs 20.48 crore. The movie, directed by Vasan Bala, failed at the box office but managed to collect Rs 22.45 crore in its first week of release. Directed, produced, and led by Kangana Ranaut, the historical biographical drama centred on the 21-month Emergency imposed by Prime Minister Indira Gandhi between 1975 and 1977. Reportedly made on a budget of around Rs 50 crore, the film underperformed at the box office, earning Rs 22.5 crore worldwide and a nett collection of Rs 17 crore.

Baaghi 4: Another major flop at the Box office was Baaghi 4. A Harsha directorial Baaghi 4 had a star-studded cast but still struggled to make it count. Tiger Shroff's high-octane action scenes and fresh pairing with Harnaaz Kaur Sandhu couldn't save the actioner. It reportedly grossed around Rs 66.39 crore worldwide, and the nett collection was Rs 47.40 crore, according to Bollywood Hungama. It reportedly became the lowest grossing film in the Baaghi film series.

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Dhadak 2: Dhadak 2 (2025) is a Hindi romantic drama featuring Siddhant Chaturvedi and Triptii Dimri in the lead. The film hit theatres on August 1, 2025, before premiering on Netflix on September 26, 2025. While it was appreciated for its performances and socially relevant themes, Dhadak 2 failed to make an impact at the box office, collecting about ₹29 crore against an estimated budget of ₹45 crore, and was ultimately declared a theatrical flop, according to FilmiBeat.

Son of Sardar 2: Son of Sardaar 2 (2025) is a Hindi comedy-drama and a standalone sequel to the 2012 hit. Released in theatres on August 1, 2025, the film stars Ajay Devgn, Mrunal Thakur, Ravi Kishan, and Sanjay Mishra. It follows Jassi’s misadventures in the UK, where a web of lies, mistaken identities, and cultural chaos drives the humour and family drama. Directed by Vijay Kumar Arora, the film leaned on a familiar formula but failed to resonate with audiences, ultimately falling well short of recovering its ₹130 crore budget and ending its theatrical run as a major box-office flop.