In 2025, Bollywood faced a turbulent year at the box office, with several star-studded projects failing to meet expectations despite massive budgets and hype. This trend underscores shifting audience preferences, where content reigns supreme over celebrity appeal. From political dramas to action sequels, these underperformers highlight the need for fresh storytelling, innovation, and adaptability in Hindi cinema. Let's dive into 10 notable flops and the lessons they offer.

Political Dramas in Peril: The Case of Emergency

Kangana Ranaut's ambitious directorial venture, Emergency, a biographical take on India's turbulent 1970s era, stumbled hard. With a reported budget exceeding ₹100 crore, it barely scraped past ₹16 crore net in India, closing at around ₹21 crore worldwide. Critics praised Ranaut's performance, but audiences rejected its heavy-handed narrative, revealing pitfalls in politically charged films that prioritize agenda over engaging drama.

Star Power Fatigue: Sikandar's Formulaic Fumble

Salman Khan's Sikandar, directed by AR Murugadoss, promised high-octane action but delivered recycled tropes. Against a ₹200 crore budget, it collected about ₹107-211 crore globally, marking it as a flop. Khan's mass appeal couldn't salvage the predictable plot, signaling audience exhaustion with formulaic superstar vehicles and a demand for evolved characters.

Sequel Overload: War 2's Spectacle Without Soul

The much-anticipated War 2, starring Hrithik Roshan and Jr NTR, aimed to amp up the espionage thriller genre but prioritized visuals over substance. It grossed ₹244-371 crore worldwide, yet was labeled a disaster given its colossal budget. This flop exposes how sequels relying on star cameos and CGI fail when lacking emotional depth, pushing filmmakers toward original ideas.

Nostalgia Gone Wrong: Son of Sardaar 2 and Baaghi 4

Ajay Devgn's Son of Sardaar 2 banked on comedy and nostalgia but earned just ₹45-75 crore, far below expectations. Similarly, Tiger Shroff's Baaghi 4 continued the action franchise with diminishing returns, netting ₹66-67 crore. These sequels highlight audience aversion to repetitive humor and stunts, urging creators to innovate within established IPs.

Action Thrillers Misfire: Deva and Maalik

Shahid Kapoor's cop drama Deva collected a dismal ₹34 crore net, despite positive buzz for its grit. Rajkummar Rao's Maalik, an actioner with social undertones, fared worse at ₹26 crore. Both suffered from clichéd plots, showing that viewers now seek nuanced thrillers blending action with relatable themes.

Remakes and Debuts Disappoint: Dhadak 2 and Azaad

The spiritual sequel Dhadak 2, starring Siddhant Chaturvedi and Triptii Dimri, tackled caste issues but limped to ₹24 crore net. Newcomers Aaman Devgn and Rasha Thadani's period drama Azaad was a catastrophe, earning under ₹8 crore. These films reveal risks in remakes and the challenge for debuts without strong scripts.

Genre Mismatches: The Bhootni's Horror-Comedy Haunt

Sanjay Dutt and Mouni Roy's The Bhootni, a romantic horror-comedy, scared up only ₹11 crore. Its uneven tone failed to blend scares and laughs, pointing to the need for balanced genre fusion.

Key Lessons for Bollywood's Future

These flops collectively signal a paradigm shift: audiences, empowered by OTT platforms, prioritize innovative narratives over star-driven spectacles. Innovation in genres, authentic storytelling, and addressing contemporary issues are crucial. As Hindi cinema evolves, embracing diversity in voices and reducing reliance on formulas could revive its box office glory. In 2025, success stories like Chhaava and Saiyaara prove that quality content wins. The industry must adapt or risk more reality checks.

Read Also: 2025's Top 10 Highest-Grossing Indian Films: Redefining Cinema Beyond Bollywood

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