Year-ender 2025: Bollywood loves its stars. The bigger the names, the bigger the expectations. But even top actors and flashy promotions cannot always guarantee hit. In 2025, several films with huge budgets and star-studded casts failed to impress audiences.
But before we delve into that, let us have a quick look at the box office collections of these movies.
| Movie | Budget (₹cr) | Worldwide Gross (₹cr) | Domestic Net Collection (₹cr) |
| War 2 | 400 | 360.7 | 240.5 |
| Sikandar | 200 | 182.7 | 108.7 |
| De De Pyaar De 2 | 100 | 112.1 | 74.2 |
| Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari | 80 | 103.4 | 65.7 |
| Baaghi 4 | 80 | 84.1 | 56.4 |
| Son of Sardaar 2 | 100 | 65.8 | 44.9 |
| Deva | 55 | 58.6 | 35.1 |
| Maa | 50 | 51.1 | 35.9 |
| Dhadak 2 | 45 | 31.2 | 22.5 |
| Haq | 30 | 27.8 | 18.8 |
| The Bengal Files | 30 | 24.4 | 16.7 |
| Fateh | 30 | 17.6 | 13.7 |
| Crazxy | 18 | 16.7 | 13.4 |
| Badass Ravikumar | 20 | 12.7 | 9.8 |
| Mere Husband Ki Biwi | 40 | 11.8 | 9.3 |
Sequels that didn’t soar
One of the most hyped releases was ‘War 2’, a high-octane action sequel starring Hrithik Roshan, Jr NTR and Kiara Advani. With a massive budget of ₹400 crore, fans expected another blockbuster. It had adrenaline-pumping stunts and glossy visuals. But this film grossed only ₹360.7 crore worldwide with a domestic net of ₹240.5 crore. Audiences felt the storyline was thin and very, very predictable.
Similarly, ‘Sikandar’ starring Salman Khan had a ₹200 crore budget but collected only ₹182.7 crore worldwide and ₹108.7 crore domestically. Screenplay and pacing failed to engage viewers. No, star power alone can’t save a weak script.
Comedies that missed the laughs
Romantic comedy sequels have been Bollywood favorites, yet ‘De De Pyaar De 2’ starring Ajay Devgn, Tabu, and Rakul Preet Singh failed to recreate the magic of its predecessor. With a ₹100 crore budget, it grossed ₹112.1 crore worldwide and ₹74.2 crore domestically. The audience found the humour forced and the storyline repetitive.
‘Sunny Sanskari ki Tulsi Kumari’, another comedy-drama featuring Varun Dhawan and Janhvi Kapoor has a quirky premise with a budget of ₹80 crore. While it grossed ₹103.4 crore worldwide and ₹65.7 crore domestically, the film didn’t connect with a wide audience.
When even action stars can’t help
Some films relied heavily on action to attract viewers. ‘Baaghi 4’ starred Tiger Shroff in a ₹80 crore action flick, which grossed only ₹84.1 crore worldwide, with ₹56.4 crore domestic net collection.
‘Son of Sardaar 2’ starring Ajay Devgn and Mrunal Thakur had a budget of ₹100 crore but earned a mere ₹65.8 crore globally.
Mid-budget efforts that struggled
Even mid-budget films with promising casts like Shahid Kapoor or regional favorites sometimes failed to leave a mark. ‘Deva’, made for ₹55 crore, collected ₹58.6 crore worldwide but only ₹35.1 crore domestically.
Kajol’s ‘Maa’ with a budget of ₹50 crore and a talented ensemble, grossed ₹51.1 crore worldwide and ₹35.9 crore at home.
And then, DISASTERS!
| Movie | Budget (₹cr) | Worldwide Gross (₹cr) | Domestic Net Collection (₹cr) |
| Maalik | 50 | 28.1 | 23.5 |
| 120 Bahadur | 75 | 24.2 | 18.4 |
| Emergency | 50 | 22.5 | 17.0 |
‘Maalik’, starring Rajkummar Rao, had a budget of ₹50 crore but managed to collect only ₹28.1 crore worldwide, with a domestic net of ₹23.5 crore. Its story and execution didn’t click enough with audiences.
‘120 Bahadur’ featuring Farhan Akhtar was made on a bigger budget of ₹75 crore. It was even tax-free in several states. Yet it earned just ₹24.2 crore globally and ₹18.4 crore domestically.
Similarly ‘Emergency’ starring Kangana Ranaut had a budget of ₹50 crore but grossed only ₹22.5 crore worldwide. It earned ₹17 crore net domestically.
Lessons from Bollywood’s box office in 2025
The key takeaway is simple. Star power and big budgets can create initial buzz. But they cannot guarantee success. Today’s audiences are savvy. They look for engaging stories, relatable characters, fresh perspectives.
Even the most popular actors cannot make up for weak scripts or poorly executed ideas.
Marketing can draw people to theaters on opening weekend. But it is the content that decides the film’s fate.