Most popular Indian film of 2025 is a historical, made 500% profit; beat Sitaare Zameen Par, Sikandar, Kesari Chapter 2

IMDb has released the list of most popular Indian films of 2025 so far, and it is topped by a historical drama that created history at the box office.

Updated on: Jul 9, 2025, 11:45:49 IST

By Abhimanyu Mathur

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As the first half of 2025 comes to a close, the Indian chapter of the Internet Movie Database (IMDb India) has released its half-yearly list of the most popular Indian films of the year so far. Based on user ratings and interests for all Indian films released in the year, IMDb compiled a list of the ones that generated the highest buzz. Unsurprisingly, the film with the highest box office gross was the most popular as well.

Vicky Kaushal in the much-talked-about climax of Chhaava.

In a press note, IMDb explained the criteria for the selection of the films. "Of all the movies released in India between January 1, 2025 and July 1, 2025, that have an average IMDb user rating of 6 or higher with at least 10,000 votes, these titles were consistently the most popular with IMDb customers, as determined by the actual page views of the more than 250 million monthly visitors to IMDb worldwide," read the note.

The most popular Indian film of 2025 so far

Even as Salman Khan came out with Sikandar, Aamir Khan had Sitaare Zameen Par and Akshay Kumar roared back to form with Kesari Chapter 2, these films did not top IMDb's list of most popular Indian films of 2025. That honour went to Laxman Utekar's historical drama Chhaava. Starring Vicky Kaushal in the lead role, the film grossed ₹809 crore at the box office on a ₹130 crore budget, making over 500% profit theatrically. Chhaava, a biopic of the Maratha Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj, also starred Akshaye Khanna, Rashmika Mandanna, Divya Dutta, and Vineet Kumar Singh in pivotal roles. The film is the highest-grossing Indian film of 2025 by a country mile.

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In a statement, director Laxman Utekar said, “We're honoured that Chhaava has topped the IMDb Most Popular Indian Movies of 2025 So Far list. What makes this recognition truly special is that it comes directly from the fans. Their overwhelming love and positive reception for this Maddock film and performances, led by Vicky Kaushal, Rashmika Mandanna, and Akshaye Khanna, have been incredibly heartening. This inspires our entire cast and crew to continue creating stories that resonate with audiences worldwide.”

Other films in IMDb's top 10

Chhaava is followed by the Tamil sleeper hit, Dragon. The Pradeep Ranganathan and Gopika Ramesh-starrer made over ₹150 crore at the box office and was a critical success as well. Shahid Kapoor's Deva rounded up the top 3, despite being a commercial failure. Other films in the top 10 included four other Hindi films - Raid 2 (#4), The Diplomat (#6), Sitaare Zameen Par (#8), and Kesari Chapter 2 (#9). Salman Khan's Sikandar failed to make it to the top 10.

Tamil films Retro (#5) and VidaaMuyarchi (#10), and Malayalam blockbuster L2: Empuraan (#7) completed the top 10.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Abhimanyu Mathur
Abhimanyu Mathur is Deputy Editor, Entertainment at Hindustan Times. With almost 15 years of experience in writing about everything from films and TV shows to cricket matches and elections, he inhales and exhales pop culture and news. Currently, he watches movies and TV shows and talks to celebrities for a living, while occasionally writing about them as well. A journalism graduate of Delhi College of Arts and Commerce, Delhi University, Abhimanyu began his career with Hindustan Times at the age of 20, swapping classrooms for newsrooms at an early age. He began his journey in the early days of digital journalism, later switching to the madness of print journalism. Work has led him to far off places like Japan and Jordan, as well as to the interiors of Haryana and the Indo-Pak border. He dabbled in city reporting in places like Meerut, Gurgaon, and Delhi, covered the Olympics and Cricket World Cups, before finding his calling in entertainment and lifestyle during the pandemic. A Rotten Tomatoes Certified Film Critic, he is equally at home covering stories on ground as he is interviewing celebrities and studios, and sometimes prefers to shepherd teams in delivering traffic through the day. Even as his role has evolved from reporter to supervisor over the years, his first love remains writing (and of late, talking on camera). With a good understanding of cinema and its trends, and a keen eye for detail, he continues to spark conversations around showbiz for readers around the world.Read More

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