Bollywood 2025 mid-year box office: Chhaava won, Sikandar lost - any lessons learnt?

India Today

4 hours ago

The year 2025 began on a mild note for Bollywood at the box office. January didn't see any exceptional performances from a Hindi film, and it was only when 'Chhaava' arrived in February that the industry began to take a sigh of relief.The half-yearly box office report is not exceptional, despite big titles taking over the ticket window in the first half of the year. This has to do more with the amount of choices available to the audience via OTT platforms, and their direct rejection of watching anything running in theatres which is mediocre, redundant and sometimes, plain stupid.advertisementIndiaToday.in spoke to various industry experts, including directors, producers and trade analysts, to gauge how the Hindi film industry really performed from January-June, with the current week marking the end of the first year.'Chhaava' all the way!
'Chhaava' is the clear winner, it seems, when it comes to discussing the flagbearer of Bollywood in 2025 so far. The Vicky Kaushal film wasn't just historically relevant - it also resonated with the audience emotionally and provided dramatic relief to them - something a big-screen entertainer is supposed to do.The Laxman Utekar directorial collected around Rs 601.54 crore nett in India, and grossed over Rs 800 crore worldwide, becoming the highest-grossing Hindi film of 2025 so far. 'Sitaare Zameen Par', starring Aamir Khan, is another clear winner - a film still running in theatres - further cementing the fact that emotions are still the best way to connect to the audience.advertisementHighlighting that box-office response in the first half can clearly be summed up as 'unpredictable', film producer and trade analyst Girish Johar told IndiaToday.in, "If we analyse the first six months of last year vis a vis this year, we have done a little better. We are around 8 to 10 per cent higher, because films like 'Chhaava' did well and other films, even 'Housefull 5', have done good business."He underscored the importance of mid-budget films not finding their audience at the box office. "By and large, the first six months are a little better but, what is worrisome is the medium and the small films are not doing exceptionally well. These are the critical ones which are not working at the box office. We have a stronger second half of the year which we really hope does well and adds value to the box office," Johar explained.A 'mixed-bag' of a year so far!For Anand Pandit, one of the leading film producers, it was all what he called a "mixed bag". While speaking to us, he elaborated, "The first half of 2025 was a mixed bag for Bollywood. While a few tentpole films performed well, many others struggled to make an impact. It's becoming increasingly clear that audiences are getting more selective. They're looking for fresh narratives, emotional depth, and a sense that their time and money are well spent. A star-studded cast alone no longer guarantees success. Even big-budget films can fall short if the content and execution aren't strong."advertisementPandit also focussed on 'Chhaava' leading from the front. "That said, there were standouts like 'Chhaava,' which delivered grounded storytelling with detailed production design, and 'Raid 2,' which successfully expanded on an existing franchise. These films did well at the box office, showing that when there's a unique element and genuine interest is sparked, audiences respond," he said."The first six months can be seen as a period of recalibration for the industry," he concluded.But, does this mean that the industry has now understood what has worked for the audience? The answer is not there - nothing specific or cumulative, at least. The industry still seems to be struggling with identifying the taste of the audience.A clear sense of what worked and what didn't'Oh My God' producer Hemal A Thakkar seems to have a bit of an answer, though. In a conversation with IndiaToday.in, he said the audiences demand sincerity. He had a three-point list to explain what worked for the audience in the first-half of the year.advertisement"Films rooted in emotion and purpose — where the story felt personal, not manufactured.""Relatable drama and family-centric narratives with a clear voice.""Content that respects audience intelligence, especially the youth."Thakkar, who is also a writer and a director, and the co-founder of Funder of Playtime Creations with actor Paresh Rawal, also clarified that the audience is not looking out for unnecessarily stretched grand spectacles on the big screen. So, what needs to be rejected then? Thakkar has a three-point list:Over-produced spectacles with thin writing.Films are designed around star images rather than human stories.Attempts to force nostalgia or recreate past magic without the soul.'Sikandar' remains the biggest disappointmentOne of the biggest tentpole movies of the year, and visibly the biggest Bollywood disappointment so far, was 'Sikandar'. The Salman Khan-starrer happened to be the big Eid box office release this year, but was rejected by the audience left, right and centre.A grand spectacle, directed by AR Murugadoss, collected only Rs 110.1 crore nett in India - a figure that doesn't really match the mammoth screen presence of Salman Khan.advertisementThakkar looked at the failure of grand releases at the box office and analysed, "We are still making films for a 50+ sensibility, while India's true box office audience today is between 18 and 30 - and we're failing to write for them with honesty or urgency."The only film that created some ripples at the box office after 'Chhaava's release in February was 'Sanam Teri Kasam', which was a re-release. The Harshvardhan Rane-starrer performed like a winner from the word go. It was almost like a surprising letter full of love and poetry left at the industry's doorsteps.The film ended up collecting Rs 42.2 crore nett in its lifetime run, making more than most of the fresh Bollywood releases this year. What was this phenomenon? Does this mean re-releases have got a future at the box office this year?'Sanam Teri Kasam' - a mystery winnerAnand Pandit said the success of 'Sanam Teri Kasam' re-release doesn't guarantee a confirmed trend. "That was fascinating. Sometimes, a film that doesn't perform well during its initial release may receive a better response later during a re-release. In this case, it is a romantic story with drama, tragedy, and sacrifice. It shows that if a film connects emotionally, it can still find its audience years later," he said.advertisementThe filmmaker behind films like 'Sarkar 3', 'Total Dhamaal' and 'Chehra', among others, added, "Nostalgia plays a big role for those revisiting the film in theatres, while for younger audiences, it offers a chance to experience what they missed during the original run. However, whether it's a film that went unnoticed or a blockbuster returning to screens, I wouldn't call it a guaranteed trend. It needs careful curation, proper timing, and promotion that makes it feel like a shared event worth revisiting."Mansi Bagla, the producer of Vikrant Massey and Shanaya Kapoor's upcoming film 'Aankhon Ki Gustaakhiyan', credited 'Sanam Teri Kasam's' sheer luck behind its box office success.She elaborated, "There is a good line-up of releases in the second half. So, I don't think re-releases will work. 'Sanam Teri Kasam' was lucky that it got released in February. If it had been released around the Pahalgam attack, it would never have worked. Post the dreadful event, it would not have seen the light of re-release. So, sometimes it's about luck."What is also clear is that stardom is fading. Having a star in a film might get you a few initial eyeballs, but it doesn't guarantee a longer and more sustainable traction at the box office.Girish Johar agreed when he said, "We should want the film industry as a whole to flourish. The theatrical window has to do well - that is a foregone conclusion. Yes, makers need to ensure that their content is more lapped up by the audiences. Stars are important at the box office, but they are no longer a critical element."Audience has got the game rightAnother lesson that has to be taken from the first half of Bollywood is how the audience has got wider access. "Even regional lines have blurred. We see a lot of southern languages and other language films doing well at the box office. That needs to be said because the audiences are now also even watching those kinds of films. We need to learn, we need to pull up our socks accordingly," Johar said, while explaining the corrective measures that the industry can take to expect a better audience response.'Jaat', 'Kesari Chapter 2', 'Sky Force', 'Raid 2', and 'Bhool Chuk Maaf' were a few Hindi films that kept the ship from sinking entirely. These films kept the industry's hopes up for a strong second half. Things might not have looked absolutely sparkly for Bollywood in the first half, but the second half seems to be shinier and brighter than ever.In an interview with us, Anand Pandit shared a few titles that can be trusted to help Bollywood recover what was lost in the first half."We can see a wide range of films across genres lined up for the second half of the year, with 'Alpha,' 'War 2,' 'Thama,' 'Haunted 3D: Ghosts of the Past', 'Param Sundari,' and 'Jolly LLB 3' being some among the ones to watch out for. What I want to say is that in Bollywood, there's space for everyone if the story and narration are compelling. As an industry, we should remain cautiously optimistic," he shared on a positive note.Bagla talked about her own film, which is releasing on July 11. She said, "Right now, 'Aankhon Ki Gustaakhiyan' is to be looked forward to. It's a musical love story. It's unique and has the freshness, a superb pairing, and an old-school base with modern sentiments. Nothing can beat a love story. It's a universal topic. Moviegoers will always love cinema, so I'm sure good work will come back."The way ahead? Honesty, authenticity and a good heartIt all comes down to finding an honest soul at the end of the day - in your work, stories, what you are trying to offer to the audience, and what you are asking them to spend their hard-earned money on.Thakkar put it in a brilliant way when he said that the need of the hour is to realise that "authentic stories always find a way."He summed up the way ahead for the industry and shared, "We are not just in a phase of change — we're in a moment that demands reinvention. The audience is ahead of us. It's time we stopped playing poker and started building a business based on vision, craft, and respect for the viewer - especially the viewer who will shape the next 20 years: Young India."The need for fresh stories - not remakes, not recycled narratives - but original, creative and bold ideas. "We need stories that speak to their aspirations, fears, humour, and emotional complexity. Not just recycled ideas with updated costumes," he said.Technically, though, a better strategy is definitely needed. One of the best things that Pandit emphasised included investing in better writers.He said, "We also need to invest more in writing. This includes script development, revisions, and having a solid shooting script as the foundation of the project. At the same time, collaboration between producers, exhibitors, and digital platforms can help design the right release strategy for both theatres and streaming platforms."There is hope. The second half looks promising for Bollywood - but only if we are staying honest - in pushing the right kind of story, by not cheating the audience, and by not selling absolute boredom and fallen creativity to them in the name of a big star.Guess Bollywood knows the drill already. It will be interesting to see if we rise or go further downhill by the end of the year. See you again then!- Ends
IN THIS STORY#Vicky Kaushal#Akshay Kumar#Aamir Khan#Kajol Devgan#Ajay Devgn