For several years, South Indian cinema has been dominating Bollywood. The phenomenal success of ‘Baahubali’ a decade ago paved the way, turning it into a pan-Indian, worldwide blockbuster and rewriting the destiny of the South Indian film industry. Since then, South Indian cinema has proven itself superior to Bollywood in every aspect, whether it’s innovative and heartfelt storytelling or thrilling action sequences.
The year 2025 was no exception. South Indian films once again took the lead, raking in massive earnings at the box office. Meanwhile, Bollywood lagged significantly in terms of collection. Films featuring big superstars like Salman Khan and Ajay Devgan failed to make a mark. In stark contrast, Rishab Shetty’s period action thriller, ‘Kantara Chapter 1’, not only broke all earning records but also claimed the title of the biggest film of the year.
South Indian Films Ruled 2025
Several South Indian films made a major impact at the box office this year. Rishab Shetty’s Kantara Chapter 1 set the record for the highest annual worldwide gross. Made on a budget of ₹130 crore, the film achieved a colossal collection of ₹662 crore in India and an overwhelming ₹840 crore worldwide.
Other major South Indian hits include:
- Rajinikanth-starrer Coolie collected ₹561 crore worldwide.
- Kalyani Priyadarshan’s Lokaah Chapter 1, made on a small budget of just ₹40 crore, shocked everyone by earning ₹302 crore worldwide.
- Mohanlal’s L2: Empuraan was another big hit. This Malayalam language film, with a budget of ₹150 crore, grossed ₹268 crore worldwide.
Highest Earning South Indian Films in 2025 (Worldwide Gross)
| Film Name | Worldwide Collection |
| Kantara Chapter 1 | ₹840 crore |
| Coolie | ₹561 crore |
| Lokaah Chapter 1 | ₹302 crore |
| L2: Empuraan | ₹268 crore |
Big Bollywood Star Films Lag Behind
Films featuring Bollywood’s biggest superstars had a cold reception at the box office in 2025.
- The year began with the release of Hrithik Roshan and Jr. NTR’s War 2. Expectations for this YRF Spy Universe film were high, but the film failed to recover its budget. Made at a cost of ₹400 crore, it could only manage ₹360 crore worldwide.
- Superstar Salman Khan’s Sikandar, released on Eid, did not perform well. Made on a budget of ₹200 crore, it collected only ₹184.71 crore worldwide.
- Akshay Kumar’s multi-starrer Housefull 5 was also lukewarm, earning ₹190 crore worldwide against a budget of ₹225 crore.
- Maddock’s horror universe film ‘Thama’ also failed to perform spectacularly. Its budget was reportedly ₹140 crore, but it only earned ₹132 crore worldwide.
Two Bollywood Films Saved Face
Only two Bollywood films managed to save the industry’s reputation: Vicky Kaushal’s Chhaava and the newcomer film ‘Saiyyara’ starring Ahaan Panday and Ananya Panday.
- Chhaava, made on a budget of ₹150 crore, earned a staggering ₹808 crore worldwide. It holds the second position among the highest-grossing films of the year.
- The newcomer film Saiyyara, featuring Ahaan Panday and Aneet Padda, stands third on the list. Made on a budget of ₹50 crore, the film surprised everyone by grossing ₹334 crore worldwide.