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10 best acting performances of 2025: From Dhanush in Kuberaa to Jaideep Ahlawat in Paatal Lok Season 2
2025 featured some of the very best performances from a range of actors across languages. How many have you seen?
The moment we come out of a theatre, with several other strangers, perplexed and somewhat hushed in the shared silence of having witnessed something beautiful, is there any other feeling in the world that can translate that? I don't think so. 2025 gifted us many such experiences, thanks to the wondrous and life-affirming work from these gifted actors. It was an incredible year for Indian cinema, and here are some performances that brought me joy across various platforms and languages.
Basil Joseph in Ponman
Basil Joseph is all types of wonderful in Ponman, showing that he can ace in dramatic roles as smoothly as he does in comedy. His gold dealer Ajesh arrives like a bumbling, side character- but as the film progresses, he asserts and takes the centre stage. This is his story to tell, and he can go to extreme measures to recover his money. The actor brings grit and remarkable depth to his portrait of a man who will not be wronged.
Where to watch: JioHotstar
Ishaan Khatter in Homebound
Ishaan Khatter delivered The Royals and Homebound in one single year, and if that is not enough for Bollywood to give him the flowers he deserves, then I don't know what will. His compelling turn in Neeraj Ghaywan's drama is easily his best hour on screen. As Chandan, a Dalit man who is confronted with the corrosive prejudice time and time again, Khatter is heartbreaking to watch. He is especially powerful in the many silences that fill the frame, but the scene in which he finally has an outburst is the one that has stayed with me.
Where to watch: Netflix
Monika Panwar in Khauf
Monika Panwar delivered not one but two excellent performances this year, in Khauf and in Nishaanchi. Yet in Khauf, the actor is utterly unforgettable as the woman haunted by the spectre of her past. In this slow-burn horror, the real world is scarier than the supernatural; the men are scarier than the monsters. Madhuri becomes the vessel for the horrors that surround her, and Monika navigates the anxiety, the rage, and the deep-seated desperation underneath it all. It is a kind of performance that leaves you shaken.
Where to watch: Amazon Prime Video
Dhruv Vikram in Bison Kaalamaadan
Mari Selvaraj's Bison Kaalamaadan demands a lot from Dhruv Vikram. As Kittaan, the kabbaddi prodigy at the centre of the violently casteist and oppressive society, the actor gives a performance of raw, rugged force. Kittaan cannot escape the world he has grown up in, which demands more than just his talent. He runs and runs, hoping he can somehow burn it all behind. But can he? It is obviously a physically demanding part, but there are gruelling scenes on display here that require more than just the look. Vikram nails the body language and internal chaos of a player who dares to confront and prove his worth.
Where to watch: Netflix
Sharmila Tagore in Puratawn
As an octogenarian who is slowly losing her memory, Sharmila Tagore commands the scene from the first shot in Suman Ghosh's sombre Bengali film. The actor underplays many scenes, where she is simply reacting, but this is an act. She seems to be carefully noting down, watching over every single detail. There is an eventual heartbreak and restlessness that settles on her, as she constantly forgets and doubts. Tagore brings that essence so beautifully. It is a graceful, sublime performance. She can't remember many things, but she can try.
Bhagyashri Borse in Kaantha
Bhagyashri Borse burns the screen in Kaantha, commanding the film beside Dulquer Salmaan in the lead. I cannot imagine the period mystery thriller without her haunting performance; it would not even work without her presence. As Kumari, she is dazzling and holds the frame every single time she appears as the doe-eyed refugee girl who wants to make a mark in the industry. In the midst of male egos, her Kumari holds the secret of a life-force. Even when she is gone, her presence spills over the rest of the film like an eerie, incandescant fragrance.
Where to watch: Netflix
Athish Shetty in Mithya
Sumanth Bhat's Kannada-language drama, about a boy coming to terms with the loss of both his parents, features a deeply moving central performance from actor Athish Shetty. As Mithun, a.k.a Mithya, the actor gives an internalised turn, shifting the focus away from outbursts. His grief is underlined in the smallest of moments, in the emptiness that creeps in once the loss is accepted. Does he have a choice? He wants to hold on to the memories as much as he can, and Shetty is remarkable in the manner in which he conveys that wordlessly. A particular moment, when Mithun gets a new bicycle and doesn't know how to react, is the acutest depiction of grief I've seen in quite some time.
Where to watch: Amazon Prime Video
Jaideep Ahlawat in Pataal Lok 2
Jaideep Ahlawat has never been better as Hathi Ram Chaudhary in the second season of the acclaimed show. So much happens; it is a knot of various plot points that builds the intrigue. Ahlawat is always there to the rescue, and it is his presence which humanises the conflict, conveying the rage and the unvarnished disenchantment of it all. His exchange with Ansari, one laced with concern and integrity, is the one that really stays with you.
Where to watch: Amazon Prime Video
Dhanush in Kuberaa
No one is doing it like Dhanush. The actor has delivered numerous excellent turns over the years and still continues to excite and surprise his audiences with each new film. In Sekhar Kammula’s Kuberaa, he conjures up a beast of a performance as Deva, a beggar whose life turns upside down. In a performance of zero vanity, the actor has to trace a long arc for the man who tries to make sense of the unending greed of the world he is part of. He does that with exquisite nuance and intensity, so that by the end, you know you've witnessed something truly special on screen.
Where to watch: Amazon Prime Video
Radhika Apte in Sister Midnight
Radhika Apte is delightfully deranged as the unhappy new bride Uma in Karan Kandhari’s directorial debut. It is a kind of performance that makes or breaks a film, and trust Radhika to use her entire physicality to convey a hundred little emotions- even when they are not defined. Uma does not know where she is headed, but she wants to be in control. The awkwardness, fury, disappointment, and frustration- everything crashes in the superbly expressive and nuanced turn from the actor.
Special mention for scene-stealers:
Akshaye Khanna in Dhurandhar: The actor holds the screen effortlessly with his alluring presence in the spy thriller.
Durga C. Vinod in Lokah Chapter 1: Chandra: The block in which she appears is utterly unmissable. A confident, undeniable new talent.
Venkitesh in Kingdom: You root for the antagonist more in Kingdom, and that is largely due to the compelling performance from Venkitesh.
Konkona Sen Sharma in Metro In Dino: The one scene in which Konkona's character confronts her mother over her choices rings with truth amid all the chaos.
Anaswara Rajan in Rekhachitram: A remarkable turn from an actor who holds the heart and soul of this thriller.
Mita Vashisht in Delhi Crime Season 3: A gifted actor can turn even one scene into a masterclass. Trust Mita Vashisht to do that just with a glance, a shift in her voice.
Jaya Ahsan in Putulnacher Itikotha: A subdued, rich performance that elevates the film. Her presence, and mostly her eyes, linger long after the film is over.
Prakash Varma in Thudarum: So cunning was his character that the viewer is bound to hate him. But Varma sits him down, makes small talk with a smile and asks no questions in an excellent performance.
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