Vicky Kaushal’s ‘Chaavaa’, Salman Khan’s ‘Sikandar’, Hrithik Roshan-Jr NTR’s ‘War 2’: Will 2025 redefine Bollywood’s box office success?

As Bollywood enters 2025, the industry finds itself at a crossroads, ready to recalibrate its approach to box office success. After facing a 7 percent drop in collections in 2024, largely due to soaring ticket prices, the streaming boom, and the rise of Southern Indian cinema, the stakes are higher than ever. According to Financial Times, the challenge now is to adapt to shifting audience tastes and fierce competition.

Trade analyst Girish Johar told ETimes, “2023 was a landmark year post-Covid and the collections were fantastic. In 2024, we are well short of expectations and pretty much comfortable but we were still below par than 2023. Around 18-20 percent we are falling short vis-a-vis 2023 collections and in 2025, I am looking at bigger numbers equivalent to 2023. We have big releases lined up, the confidence in the fraternity is back. We are starting the new year with a bang with films like Fateh, Emergency, Game Changer, and Deva. They are all biggies lined up in January itself. So this is definitely a very good confidence booster.”

The upcoming releases in 2025 reflect Bollywood’s strategic shift towards high-octane action films and biographical dramas, aiming to recapture audience interest and boost box office revenues. The industry’s focus on grandiose productions and sequels indicates a response to the challenges faced in 2024.