The Indian film industry in 2025 was characterized by the prominence of male-led action thrillers in domestic box office performance and cultural discussions. This followed 2024, a year in which women-led narratives had garnered international recognition. The trend represented a shift in cinematic focus.
2025 Film Landscape
In the latter part of 2025, the espionage thriller Dhurandhar, set against the backdrop of India-Pakistan tensions and featuring graphic violence and gangland politics, emerged as a significant success. This film contributed to a series of male-centric productions that achieved widespread popularity throughout the year.
Contrast with Previous Year
During 2024, films such as Payal Kapadia's All We Imagine As Light, Shuchi Talati's Girls Will Be Girls, and Kiran Rao's Laapataa Ladies received global attention and critical acclaim. Film critic Mayank Shekhar described this period as an affirmation of Indian women filmmakers' global standing.
Box Office Performance
In 2025, the top 10 box-office grossing films predominantly featured male protagonists. Five of these were Bollywood productions, including the historical epic Chhaava and the action film War 2. The Malayalam-language superhero film Lokah, led by a woman, was the sole female-centric film in the top 10.
Beyond the action genre, films like the romance Saiyaara centered on a male rockstar, and mythical spectacles such as Kantara: Chapter 1 (Kannada) and Mahavatar Narsimha (dubbed into multiple languages) also featured traditional male heroic narratives. The year's most discussed films often depicted male characters expressing intense emotions, power, and themes of vengeance.
Notable Releases and Industry Perspectives
Among the year's debated successes was Tere Ishk Mein, which presented a male protagonist and a female character whose ambitions were depicted as secondary to his romantic pursuits. The film grossed over 1,550 million rupees ($17.26 million, £12.77 million) worldwide, becoming actor Dhanush's highest-grossing Hindi release, despite criticism regarding its portrayal of male characters.
Another successful romance drama, Ek Deewane Ki Deewaniyat, featured a male lead described in a review as an "obsessive lover."
Priyanka Basu, a senior lecturer in Performing Arts at King's College London, observed that Hindi cinema has historically underrepresented women protagonists and has long-standing disparities in casting, pay, and opportunities. She noted that a single year is insufficient to fundamentally alter these trends.
Historical Context and Streaming Services
Indian cinema, particularly Bollywood, has a history of focusing on male heroes, dating back to Amitabh Bachchan's "angry young man" image in the 1970s. Even recent superstars like Shah Rukh Khan have transitioned towards action-heavy blockbusters.
Streaming platforms, initially viewed as alternative spaces for women-centric storytelling, have also adopted similar patterns. A report by Ormax, analyzing 338 Hindi shows on streaming platforms, indicated that action and crime thrillers, largely male-led, now constitute 43% of titles. In contrast, female-led stories decreased from 31% in 2022 to 12% in 2025. Mayank Shekhar commented that streaming services appear to be increasingly mirroring theatrical trends rather than providing alternative content.