From ‘Dhurandhar’ to ‘Chhaava’: Indian Films That Dominated the 2025 Box Office
Director Aditya Dhar’s spy action adventure Dhurandhar, starring Ranveer Singh, is set to become the first Indian film of 2025 to cross the ₹1,000 crore mark globally. Its daily collections have impressed trade and industry circles, signaling a robust blockbuster trend. The year’s highest-grossing Indian films span multiple languages and genres, reflecting audiences’ growing openness to diverse content, including subtitled releases. Here’s a look at the 10 top-grossing Indian movies of 2025, according to Sacnilk.
1. Dhurandhar
Box office: Heading towards ₹1,000 crore worldwide; projected lifetime ₹1,200+ crore
Director Aditya Dhar’s spy action epic follows an Indian intelligence officer who infiltrates Karachi’s criminal underworld. Inspired by real-life figures like Rehman Dakait and Chaudhary Aslam, the film blends large-scale action, political intrigue, and intense character drama. Despite its lengthy runtime, Dhurandhar has gripped audiences globally and is set to become the first Indian film of 2025 to enter the ₹1,000 crore club.
2. Kantara: Chapter 1
Box office: ₹850+ crore worldwide
A mythological prequel to Kantara (2022), the film is set in the ancient Kadamba kingdom and chronicles the rise of Berme, a fierce tribal warrior protected by forest deities. Directed by and starring Rishab Shetty, the period folk action drama merges folklore, history, and divine intervention, culminating in a powerful spiritual reckoning. It more than doubled the lifetime earnings of the original film.
3. Chhaava
Box office: ₹800+ crore worldwide
This historical action drama tells the story of Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj, tracing his journey as a warrior-king and his brutal conflict with Mughal emperor Aurangzeb. Starring Vicky Kaushal, the film portrays Sambhaji as both a formidable battlefield force and a tragic figure defined by betrayal and martyrdom. Strong word of mouth helped it outperform trade expectations.
4. Saiyaara
Box office: Nearly ₹600 crore worldwide
A surprise hit in a year dominated by action spectacles, Saiyaara is a musical romantic drama loosely inspired by the Korean film A Moment to Remember. The story follows musician Krish Kapoor and writer Vaani Batra as they fall in love, endure heartbreak, and rediscover each other through music and memory. Featuring newcomers Ahaan Pandey and Aneet Padda, it became the highest-grossing Indian romantic drama ever.
5. Coolie
Box office: ₹500+ crore worldwide
Rajinikanth headlines this gangster action thriller as Deva, a former coolie union leader drawn back into violence after his close friend dies under mysterious circumstances. His quest for truth leads him into a powerful crime syndicate while protecting his friend’s daughter. Despite its scale and star power, mixed word of mouth and a massive budget tempered its box office potential.
Continuing the list of top-grossing Indian films of 2025, War 2 ranks sixth with a worldwide box office collection of ₹364 crore, emerging as one of the year’s biggest Hindi action releases. It is followed by Mahavatar Narsimha at seventh place, which earned ₹327 crore globally, reinforcing the strong pull of mythological themes in Hindi cinema. Malayalam film Lokah: Chapter 1 – Chandra takes the eighth spot with ₹304 crore, highlighting the growing pan-Indian reach of regional storytelling. Telugu action drama They Call Him OG ranks ninth with ₹295 crore, while Housefull 5 closes the top ten list at tenth place, collecting ₹289 crore worldwide and continuing the franchise’s box office consistency.
