We’re already deep into 2025—and somehow, there are just four months left. The theatres have echoed with stories big and small, and our screens have seen everything from tender heartbreaks to mythic showdowns. While we know more films are on the horizon—and the final stretch of the year will surely bring its own surprises—some stories have already made their impact, refusing to fade from memory.
Not all of these films were released in 2025, but this year is when they found their audience, sparked conversations, and carved out their space in our own momentum.
Here are five standout films to watch in 2025—a list that may grow, shift, or spark debate, but for now, captures the heart of where Indian cinema is heading: bold, honest, and unapologetically human.
1. Dhadak 2
Dhadak 2 is a bold, raw, and devastating examination of caste-based discrimination in contemporary India, directed by Shazia Iqbal, starring Siddhant Chaturvedi, Triptii Dimri, and produced by Karan Johar. The film is carefully made in a grey space that acknowledges the love story and separation of Neelesh, a member of the Dalit community, and Vidhi, a comfortably privileged Brahmin woman, both law students in a metropolitan neighbourhood in India. Despite their education and urban environment, their conscious and subconscious actions lead to drifting away from each other amid a caste-based principled clash. Blessed with subtle performances from the lead actors and a sensitive hand from Iqbal, this does not become just a romance; juxtaposing social barriers and entrenched prejudices that continue to plague Indian society, Dhadak 2 is a frank and plausible articulation of love across divides.
2. Sitaare Zameen Par
A heartfelt follow-up to Taare Zameen Par, directed by R. S. Prasanna, starring Aamir Khan, Genelia Deshmukh, and produced by Aamir Khan & Aparna Purohit, this one blends sports, humour, and empathy to tell the narrative of a basketball coach sentenced to community service. After a DUI charge, he is assigned to train a team of neurodivergent adults—an experience that begins as a punishment but turns into his most meaningful journey. Sitaare Zameen Par is full of warmth, joy, and life lessons, with Aamir Khan delivering a performance that balances vulnerability with charm. The film reminds us that greatness can shine brightest where you least expect it.
3. Stolen
Stolen, directed by Karan Tejpal and starring Abhishek Banerjee, is a compelling thriller set in the harsh realities of rural India. When their urban lives collapse when standing at the train station, two brothers, witnesses to the elevation of a baby by strangers away from its mother, are unfortunately sucked into a world darker and dangerous. What started as a reluctant favour escalates into a moral crusade, especially for one brother, as he crosses a line in helping a grieving mother. With haunting cinematography and the killer performance by Abhishek Banerjee, the film tackles privilege, responsibility and the costs of turning a blind eye. The journey into a broken system is raw and emotional.
4. Superboys of Malegaon
Inspired by actual events and the 2008 documentary “Supermen of Malegaon” by Reema Kagti, and written by Varun Grover, “Superboys of Malegaon” stars Adarsh Gourav and Vineet Kumar Singh, and is a delightful return to nostalgia and independence from a grassroots perspective. Set in the small town of Malegaon, the film captures a group of dreamers who create spoofs of Bollywood movies, people with almost nothing, except for their passion. It celebrates the fun of making movies through hustle, force, and a fullness of creativity. Superboys of Malegaon pays homage to the dreamers and misfits who try to overcome something as small as size and location, with an adorable cast and storytelling that taps into the emotions of making a movie. This film is a consummate tribute to cinema and to the people who decide to make it against all odds.
5. Mahavtar Narsimha
Mahavtar Narsimha, a magnificent mythological epic directed by Ashwin Kumar and featuring Karan Trivedi, Aditya Raj Sharma, and Haripriya Matta, is a retelling of the legendary tale of Prahlad and his tyrannical father Hiranyahashapu. With larger-than-life images, impactful dialogue, and spiritual ideas, the film brings ancient mythology to life for a new generation of audiences. It is not just a story of gods versus demons, but rather an enduring tale of faith, courage, and royalty.
