The biggest question after Covid was whether the stars would be able to bring the audience back to the theatres? For almost three years, audiences consumed content on streaming platforms and enjoyed movies even from the convenience of their homes. However, 2023 proved to be a game-changing year with Shah Rukh Khan hitting the theaters thrice and films like Ponniyin Selvan: Part 2, Salaar, Gadar 2, Animal and Jailer leaving their mark in the hearts of both. Audience and box office.

The year 2024 also proved to be a good year with Pushpa 2: The Rule breaking records. However, except a few, most of the films did not make a splash at the box office. But will 2025 be different?

If we look at the lineup for the year the possibilities are huge. Almost every big star, whether it’s from here Be it Hindi film industry or Telugu, Tamil or Kannada, it will make its presence felt on the big screen.,

Lineup includes Salman Khan’s Sikander (directed by AR Murugadoss)War 2 which will see a clash between Hrithik Roshan and Jr NTR, Aamir Khan’s comeback film, Sitare Zameen Par, Thalapathy Vijay’s last film before starting a full political career, Yash’s Toxic, Rishabh Shetty in Kantara prequel, Lokesh Kanagaraj’s Coolie. Are included. Kamal Haasan’s Thug Life with Rajinikanth, Shankar-Ram Charan’s game changerPrabhas’s The Rajasa (uff!), Alia Bhatt’s Alpha, etc. to name a few.

Other superstars like Thala Ajith, Suriya will also come to the theaters with their films. The audience is also waiting for films like KAngana Ranaut’s controversial emergencyVicky Kaushal’s Chhaava, Shahid Kapoor’s Deva, Ayushmann and Rashmika Mandanna-starrer Thaama, Maddock’s Shakti Shalini, Aditya Dhar’s Dhurandhar and Kiccha Sudeep’s Billa Ranga Baasa, to name a few.

“If many of these films succeed at the box office, 2025 should be a big year. It could be a bonus for all industries,” trade analyst Ramesh Bala told India Today Digital. “There is a lot going on at the box office, and hopefully the films from South can work in the Hindi belt and Hindi films will do good business in Tamil and Telugu as well. Hopefully the films will do well.” regions and non-domestic markets as well as overseas,” he said.

Producer and film business expert Girish Johar said that people stepping into theaters is the biggest quest for the entire film fraternity and the lineup for 2025 will ensure higher viewership, “if all languages, regardless of region, perform well. So, it is not just good for the fraternity but also for everyone concerned, the more people come to the theatres, the better it will be because it means the audience is still interested and, this year Some of the biggest movies are about to be released so hopefully these watches will be in good numbers.”

He further added, “I am expecting huge numbers in all languages. I hope that we will not only reach the figure of 2024 gone beyond 2023Because 2024 has been low overall. There are also some medium budget films which can make a splash at the box office. Overall, my outlook is positive.”

Johar also said that 2025 is better planned in terms of releases, in the sense that producers have given a gap with every film to do well at the box office. “Looking at releases in January and February with reasonable windowing, I’m hopeful we’re off to a solid start,” he said.

Ramesh Bala said that 2025 will be the year when pan-Indian films will truly dominate. “There will be a pan-India theme in 2025. Lately, it has become fashionable for filmmakers to say, ‘I don’t like the word pan-India,’ but everyone wants box office success. So, they will Cast such actors to ensure success everywhere, because our films have not fully exploited the domestic market, unlike the US,” he told us during a conversation.

Despite actors and filmmakers coming together and advocating for a single film industry instead of one divided by language, a barrier still exists. This became very clear during a recent roundtable discussion Producer Boney Kapoor and Naga Vamsi had an in-depth discussion on Telugu and Hindi film industriesSo, which industry will take the cake in 2025?

“There is potential for Southern films to dominate the North,” argued Ramesh Bala, adding, “One advantage that Southern films have is that they will do very well in their own region.” But, what Pushpa 2 did in Hindi, no Bollywood film did. South films can do well in their region and they can also win over the northern belt because Hindi is a big market and people are open-minded.”

However, Johar is placing his bets on the Hindi film industry, given that it will be the return of the two Khans – Salman and Aamir – and the fact that films like War 2 and Alpha are also on the cards.

Ramesh Bala said, “Hindi films like Jawaan and Dangal and films starring Hrithik have done well, but the numbers pale in comparison to what Pushpa and Baahubali have done in the North. The South always benefits if they do well. Movies like Toxic and Kantara have potential and the prequel of Kantara can surpass the lifetime business of Kantara, but Hrithik Roshan and Jr. A film like War 2 with NTR will do well everywhere, especially in the Telugu states.”

There is also a lesson from Pushpa 2: The Rule in 2025. Allu Arjun’s film created new records in all languages ​​and became the highest grossing film of all time in Hindi.Bala took note of this and said, “Pushpa 2 set new standards and showed what a film can do. So, theoretically, the 2025 release is likely to do more or less similar business.”

So, which movies are you most looking forward to in the new year? Also, which film do you think will emerge as the biggest release of 2025?