Bollywood's 2025: 'Chhaava', 'Dhurandhar' Dominate, Big Stars Fizzle Out

• 2025 was a mixed year for Bollywood, marked by 'flood and famine' at the box office, despite a 10% rise in business from 2024.
• Vicky Kaushal's 'Chhaava' and Ranveer Singh-Akshaye Khanna's 'Dhurandhar' emerged as major nationalistic hits, each grossing over Rs 600 crore.
• The success of 'Chhaava' and 'Dhurandhar' proved that box office triumphs are not solely dependent on established stars like the Khan trio, Akshay Kumar, or Ajay Devgn.
• Romantic dramas like 'Saiyaara' (Rs 329 crore) and re-released 'Sanam Teri Kasam' resonated strongly, indicating a comeback for the genre.
• High-profile films and sequels, including Salman Khan's 'Sikandar' and Hrithik Roshan's 'War 2', largely underperformed or fizzled out.

Why It Matters: 2025 saw a shift in Bollywood, with nationalistic and romantic films succeeding over big-star vehicles.