January 2026 is a fortnight old. Last year was like most others for Hindi film lovers: one that offered a mix of good, average and disappointing fare. Most producers realised that attracting footfalls wasn’t easy, and few films became significant commercial successes.

The year ended on a high note, though, as viewers flocked to the theatres to watch Aditya Dhar’s action-packed thriller Dhurandhar, a gripping film that justified its 214-minute runtime to become the second-highest-grossing Hindi film of all time. Ranveer Singh (outstanding) and Akshaye Khanna (no less brilliant), surpassed all pre-release expectations with their performances. Others in prominent roles made an impact, too, which, along with the story, direction, cinematography, action and music, turned the film into the biggest success story of 2025.

While Dhurandhar cruised past the Rs 1000-crore mark with consummate ease — that’s rare, as those keeping an eye on box-office numbers would know — several films did not become profitable ventures. Ayan Mukerji’s big-budget action thriller War 2 was a classic instance of commercial underperformance, despite the presence of superstars Hrithik Roshan and NT Rama Rao Jr. as the two leads. Why did it happen? The filmmaker wanted to make a mass entertainer but failed, largely because of the story.

In a year with few big successes, a couple of other films performed brilliantly as well. One of them was Laxman Utekar’s historical action film Chhaava, based on Shivaji Sawant’s Marathi novel of the same name about the life and times of the Maratha ruler Sambhaji, which finished second at the box-office in 2025. Vicky Kaushal, with a brilliant performance in the central role, carried the film on his able shoulders. Akshaye Khanna, as the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb, delivered........

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