The Indian film market has seen significant changes, with South Indian cinema becoming a strong competitor to Bollywood. The year 2025 illustrates this competition, with both Bollywood and South Indian movies enjoying success. Vicky Kaushal’s ‘Chhava’ has given Bollywood a lead so far this year.
Five Bollywood films have performed well in 2025. ‘Chhava’ had a strong start, followed by ‘Saiyaara,’ which also did well. Akshay Kumar and Aamir Khan have also contributed to the success stories. However, ‘Kantara Chapter 1,’ a South Indian film starring Rishab Shetty, could change the landscape. It has the potential to become the first 1000-crore film of 2025.
South Indian cinema also boasts five successful films in 2025. ‘Coolie,’ starring Rajinikanth, is currently the highest-grossing South Indian film. ‘Mahavtar Narasimha’ and ‘L2 Empuraan’ also performed well. The newly released ‘OG’ starring Pawan Kalyan could soon join the list with a strong opening.
‘Chhava,’ starring Vicky Kaushal, is leading the way. This film, based on the life of Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj, has earned over 800 crores. Even though it didn’t reach 1000 crores, it remains the highest-grossing film after nine months. However, ‘Kantara,’ starring Rishab Shetty, is poised to be a major competitor.