When star power wasn’t enough: 2025 box office flops that stunned Bollywood

The year 2025 saw mixed results for Indian cinema, with major films like Sikandar and War 2 underperforming despite high budgets.

Year 2025 was a mixed one for Indian cinema. While a handful of films like Dhurandhar and Saiyaara achieved record-breaking success, several big-budget releases led by major stars struggled to find a foothold at the box office. Despite high expectations and star power, movies such as Sikandar, War 2, Son of Sardaar 2, Baaghi 4 and Emergency significantly underperformed, leaving producers and fans puzzled.

2025 marked a turbulent year for Indian films, with high-budget releases like Sikandar and War 2 disappointing at the box office.

Biggest disappointment: Salman Khan's Sikandar, Hrithik's War 2

One of the most talked-about disappointments was Salman Khan’s Sikandar. Made on an estimated budget of around ₹200 crore, the film’s worldwide gross hovered around ₹182.7 crore, barely surpassing its production cost and marking one of the actor’s rare commercial setbacks. The domestic net was reported to be around ₹108.7 crore, far below the expectations usually associated with Eid releases for Salman.

Similarly, War 2, the highly anticipated sequel starring Hrithik Roshan, Jr NTR and Kiara Advani , had a reported budget of ₹400 crore but managed only an estimated ₹179 crore net in its Hindi version, making it one of the biggest box office disappointments of the year.

Other big names also faced setbacks. The action-packed franchise entry Baaghi 4, made on a reported ₹200 crore budget, grossed just around ₹66 crore worldwide, becoming the lowest-grossing film in the series. Ajay Devgn's Son of Sardaar 2 and Kangana Ranaut’s political drama Emergency also struggled.

Even in the South, traditionally strong markets weren’t immune. Mohanlal’s ambitious pan-Indian project Vrusshabha, made on a reported ₹70 crore budget, garnered a meagre ₹2.04 crore worldwide and was pulled from screens within six days due to low footfall.

What went wrong? Audience fatigue and changing viewing habits

Viewers today are prioritising content quality, originality, and narrative engagement over mere star power. Mohanlal’s Vrusshabha, for instance, faced criticism for a predictable plot and lack of depth, leading to its removal from screens in just six days. Similarly, critics and audiences cited weak scripts and uneven pacing in War 2 and Sikandar as key reasons for the lack of engagement. The rise of OTT platforms has also changed viewing habits. With easy access to global and regional content, audiences are choosier about which films to watch in theatres. Large budgets alone no longer guarantee packed cinemas.

Stars speak out

Both Hrithik Roshan and Salman Khan publicly addressed the struggles of their films, offering rare insight into the pressures of high-profile releases. Hrithik, speaking at a Dubai event, candidly admitted that War 2 “just bombed at the box office,” while also expressing gratitude to fans who supported the project despite its commercial setback. Salman, on the other hand, defended Sikandar’s storyline in the wake of criticism from director A.R. Murugadoss about alleged production delays, sarcastically noting the remarks while reaffirming his belief in the film. Their candid responses highlight the challenges even superstar-led films face in meeting evolving audience expectations.

2025: Year of transforming industry

Despite these high-profile flops, 2025 also showcased several success stories. Films with modest budgets and strong word-of-mouth, such as Saiyaara and Chhaava, soared at the box office, proving that audiences are willing to embrace quality content over star appeal alone. 2025 ultimately demonstrated a critical industry truth: star power may open doors, but compelling content and audience connection keep viewers in theatres.