Bollywood truly rose to new peaks.
When it comes to entertaining Bollywood films, 2025 has been quite a memorable year.
The year was filled with mind-blowing stories, unforgettable characters and excellent performances onscreen.
Whether it is the epic depictions of historic events, touching social messages, or unique romances, 2025 gave us all of it.
Bollywood truly rose to new peaks and set high standards in terms of storytelling and filmmaking.
But which movies truly stood out from the crowd?
Join us as we present eight of the most entertaining Bollywood films of 2025.
Emergency
Director: Kangana Ranaut
Stars: Kangana Ranaut, Anupam Kher, Shreyas Talpade, Mahima Chaudhary, Vishak Nair
2025 opened with a film that not only presented a brave biopic but also shone as a testament to courage in creativity.
Kangana Ranaut, who also directs and produces Emergency, portrays the central role of the former Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.
As the title of the film suggests, a key part of the movie is Gandhi’s period of ‘Emergency’, which she imposed in the 1970s.
The film also shows the politician’s problematic relationship with her son, Sanjay Gandhi (Vishak Nair).
Emergency also features talented actors like Anupam Kher (Jayaprakash Narayan), Shreyas Talpade (Atal Bihari Vajpayee), and Mahima Chaudhry (Pupul Jayakar).
Leading up to its release, Kangana faced immense trolling, death threats, and the film was delayed several times.
Unfortunately, protests and political uproar affected the film’s theatrical run, but that doesn’t detract from the movie’s soul.
As the film ends, Indira says: “I want every drop of my blood to be of service to this country. Indira can go, but India must go on.”
Emergency is not a lesson in history or politics. It is a soulful depiction of one of India’s most famous chapters.
Sky Force
Directors: Sandeep Kewlani, Abhishek Anil Kapur
Stars: Akshay Kumar, Veer Pahariya, Sara Ali Khan, Nimrat Kaur
In this war drama, Akshay Kumar leads the cast as Wing Commander Kumar Om Ahuja.
The character is based on Om Prakash Taneja VrC, an Indian Air Force officer and fighter pilot.
Sky Force tells the story of India’s first airstrike at the Sargodha airbase of Pakistan during the Indo-Pakistani air war in 1965.
As India struggles with fuel capacity, it is up to Ahuja to complete the mission and defend his country’s honour.
Marked by patriotism, valour, and bravery, Sky Force is an ode to India’s heroes, saluting those who fought and died for their nation.
Sky Force also signifies a terrific resurgence for Akshay, who was delivering consecutive flops.
In a Firstpost review of the film, Ganesh Aaglave says: “Sky Force will leave you with goosebumps, a lump in your throat, and maybe even a few tears in your eyes.
“Right from the action sequences to emotional moments, every frame strikes a chord with the audience.”
Sky Force is an unmissable Bollywood film, perfect for fans of patriotic cinema.
Chhaava
Director: Laxman Utekar
Stars: Vicky Kaushal, Akshaye Khanna, Rashmika Mandanna
Vicky Kaushal roars with unmatched power in Laxman Utekar’s historical epic, Chhaava.
This absorbing tale presents the saga of Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj, a righteous Maratha king who desires peace and prosperity for the kingdom of Swarajya.
Sambhaji finds a worthy nemesis in the ruthless Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb, who is brought to life by a menacing Akshaye Khanna.
Terrifying, glowering and deliciously evil, Akshaye shows his prowess as a star and makes one wonder what the industry has been doing ignoring such a fine actor.
When Sambhaji and Aurangzeb face off in the climax, it makes for marvellous and powerful viewing.
Despite holding the upper hand physically, Aurangzeb is attacked by Sambhaji’s hard-hitting words.
This leaves him withered and with a reluctant respect for his sworn Maratha enemy.
Chhaava is a glorious film for period movie buffs. It should be celebrated for giving a new lease of fame to Akshaye, who dazzles in every frame he is in.
Raid 2
Director: Raj Kumar Gupta
Stars: Ajay Devgn, Riteish Deshmukh, Vaani Kapoor
A sequel to the crime thriller, Raid (2018), this film sees Ajay Devgn as Amay Patnaik, IRS.
Like its predecessor, Raid 2 also explores income-tax raids.
Amay is an honest police officer, adept at recovering stolen money via his daring raids.
In this film, he must confront Dada Manohar Bhai (Riteish Deshmukh), a politician riddled with corruption and deceit.
During this process, however, Amay faces his own challenges, and he makes some startling discoveries which could derail his career.
Raid 2 is great for showcasing Ajay’s popular celluloid intensity.
As the actor steps into the role of another courageous police officer, the film becomes a spectacle of wit and drama.
Reviews for the film highlighted Ajay and Riteish’s stellar performances as well as the film’s layered storyline.
Raid 2 showed one of the most thrilling rides of 2025, and for that, it is undeniably one of the most entertaining Bollywood films of the year.
Sitaare Zameen Par
Director: RS Prasanna
Stars: Aamir Khan, Genelia Deshmukh
From Aamir Khan Productions comes an important yet entertaining film with a crucial message.
The spiritual successor of Taare Zameen Par (2007), this film is an adaptation of the Hollywood movie Champions (2023).
In Sitaare Zameen Par, the obnoxious basketball coach, Gulshan Arora (Aamir Khan), is ordered to teach a team of disabled players.
Their disabilities include Down’s Syndrome and autism. At first, Gulshan is quick to dismiss the team, unsure if he can coach them.
But as they progress, Gulshan realises the power that disabled people can possess.
In the climax of the film, Gulshan tells his wife, Sunita Arora (Genelia Deshmukh): “I am not their coach. They are mine.”
The team makes Gulshan a better coach, a better husband, and a better man.
Sitaare Zameen Par marked a heartwarming acting comeback for Aamir, who had delivered three back-to-back flops in the shape of Thugs of Hindostan (2018), Laal Singh Chaddha (2022), and Salaam Venky (2022).
This film reminded the audience of the impact of Aamir Khan Productions on Bollywood: telling essential stories in a fun manner.
Metro…in Dino
Director: Anurag Basu
Stars: Anupam Kher, Neena Gupta, Konkona Sen Sharma, Saswata Chatterjee, Pankaj Tripathi
Continuing with spiritual successors, we come to Anurag Basu’s romantic drama, Metro…in Dino.
The film is a thematic extension of Life in a…Metro (2007).
Metro…in Dino presents the lives of eight people as they intertwine and deal with disturbing incidents, including infidelity and abortion.
These characters include the college friends, Akash, Shruti, and Parth, who face struggles of love and faithfulness.
Meanwhile, Kajol Ghosh Sisodiya and her husband undergo a difficult marriage underlined by the dilemmas of their daughter, Pihu.
The film garnered critical acclaim for its depth, music, and performances, with those of Pankaj Tripathi and Konkona Sen Sharma being underscored.
Metro…in Dino was also praised for its representation of the LGBTQIA+ community.
It is undoubtedly a Bollywood film that is unafraid to swim against the tide.
Saiyaara
Director: Mohit Suri
Stars: Ahaan Panday, Aneet Padda
Saiyaara is a Bollywood film which reshaped Hindi cinema’s representation of Gen Z.
This heartbreaking romance introduces us to Krish Kapoor (Ahaan Panday) and Vaani Batra (Aneet Padda).
Krish is an aspiring musician, while Vaani is a writer who is distraught over being jilted by her boyfriend.
The pair meet and fall in love, but their relationship is put through the ultimate test when Vaani is given a devastating diagnosis.
Through the lens of Gen Z, Saiyaara paints a gut-wrenching portrait of love, dreams, and unwavering commitment.
The film was particularly acclaimed for the performances of the two leads. While Aneet achieved her breakthrough with this film, it marked Ahaan’s debut.
It is incredibly refreshing to see newcomers lead such a great film, affirming that stars are not necessary to create a masterpiece.
The title song of Saiyaara, sung by Faheem Abdullah, became an anthem of sorts and will be hummed for years to come.
Whether you’re someone lost in social media or newspapers, watch Saiyaara for a rousing tale of love and strength.
Dhurandhar
Director: Aditya Dhar
Stars: Ranveer Singh, Akshaye Khanna, Sanjay Dutt, R Madhavan, Arjun Rampal, Sara Arjun
Aditya Dhar’s mega-blockbuster narrates a gripping saga of stalwarts thirsty for power and position.
In Dhurandhar, the audience can see Ranveer Singh like never before as Jaskirat Singh Rangi.
He begins working for the intimidating Rehman Dakait (Akshaye Khanna) and gets sucked deeper into an unforgiving world.
As well as in its captivating story, the victory of the film lies in its performances.
Capitalising on his renewed fame from the aforementioned Chhaava, Akshaye is wonderfully loathsome.
Meanwhile, Ranveer scores a blinder, with icons like Sanjay Dutt, R Madhavan, and Arjun Rampal adding to the mix of powerhouses.
Dhurandhar rightfully became one of the highest-grossing Bollywood films of 2025.
See the movie, and it won’t be hard to know why!
Year after year, Bollywood strives to give us outstanding and distinctive cinema.
2025 has been no different.
When Hindi cinema gets it right, the results leave an indelible imprint both on the industry and on the hearts of viewers.
All the films in this list achieve that in resplendent ways and leave the audience craving more.
As the year draws to a close, fans can look forward to a host of exciting Bollywood films in 2026.
They are sure to build on the staggering stories of 2025.
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