What defined Bollywood's box office success in 2025?

In 2025, Bollywood's box office was dominated by violent, male-driven action thrillers and hypermasculine narratives.

How did 2025 compare to Indian women filmmakers' success in 2024?

2025 saw a shift back to male-dominated films, unlike 2024, which brought global acclaim to women-led Indian cinema.

Which woman-led films gained international attention in 2024?

Payal Kapadia's 'All We Imagine As Light' and Kiran Rao's 'Laapataa Ladies' were among the women-led films praised globally in 2024.

Home / Arts and Entertainment / Bollywood's Masculine Echo: 2025's Box Office Roar

Bollywood's Masculine Echo: 2025's Box Office Roar

3 Jan

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Summary

2025 saw a surge in violent, male-driven action thrillers dominating Bollywood.
This trend contrasted with 2024's global acclaim for women-led Indian films.
Only one woman-led film, a Malayalam superhero movie, made the top 10.

The Indian film industry in 2025 experienced a notable return to its traditional blockbuster formula, characterized by violent, male-driven action thrillers. This trend culminated in films like the espionage thriller 'Dhurandhar' dominating domestic box office and cultural conversations. The year's top 10 hits, primarily from Bollywood, featured larger-than-life male heroes in various genres.

This resurgence of masculine narratives stood in stark contrast to 2024, when films like 'All We Imagine As Light' and 'Laapataa Ladies,' directed by women, garnered significant international praise and attention. These 2024 successes had fostered hope for a continued rise in richer, more diverse stories centered on women.

However, 2025 saw even romance and mythical spectacles reinforcing traditional male heroism. The singular exception in the top 10 was the Malayalam-language superhero film 'Lokah,' highlighting the overall male dominance that defined popular discourse and box office success.