After a lackluster and mixed bag 2024, fans are eagerly anticipating a blockbuster 2025. The upcoming year promises an exciting lineup of releases; from Alpha, Daaku Maharaaj, and many more, there’s something for everyone. With fresh plotlines, new on-screen pairings, and powerful performances in the list, 2025 is shaping up for a game-changing scenario for Indian cinema. Here are a few of the most-anticipated Indian movies of 2025 that are set to captivate audiences.
Most-Anticipated Indian Movies
Bollywood
1. Deva – February 14
Starring Shahid Kapoor, this action-packed cop drama follows a rebellious police officer’s life as he is navigating a complex web of lies and deceit. The highly awaited movie also stars Pooja Hegde and will release on the eve of Valentine’s Day.
2. Sky Force – January 25
Starring Akshay Kumar, Nimrat Kaur, Sara Ali Khan, and Veer Pahariya in key roles, this action-drama is based on real-life aerial missions and promises a thrilling blend of intense storytelling and spectacular visuals. This is one of the highly anticipated movies of 2025.
3. Lahore 1947 – January 31
Directed by Rajkumar Santoshi, Lahore 1947 is a historical drama that stars Sunny Deol, Preity Zinta, Ali Fazal, Shabana Azmi, and Aamir Khan in pivotal roles. Produced by Aamir Khan, the movie is based on Asghar Wajahat’s play Jis Lahore Nai Dekhya O Jamyai Ni (One Who Has Not Seen Lahore Has Not Been Born). The movie’s background is set against the partition of India in 1947.
4. Sikandar – Eid 2025
Another highly-awaited Hindi movie of 2025 is Sikandar. Helmed by A.R. Murugadoss, Sikandar is an action entertainer starring Salman Khan, Rashmika Mandanna, Suniel Shetty, and Sharman Joshi. The movie is scheduled for an Eid release in 2025.
5. Chhaava – February 14
Chhaava is a historical action film based on the life of Maratha king Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj, played by Vicky Kaushal. The epic drama also stars Rashmika Mandanna and Akshaye Khanna.
6. Alpha – December 25
This female-led spy action movie stars Alia Bhatt, Sharvari, Bobby Deol, and Anil Kapoor. Alpha is part of YRF’s spy universe and the most awaited Bollywood film. The film follows two fierce agents tackling dangerous missions and is directed by Shiv Rawail.
7. War 2 – August 14
A part of YRF’s Universe, War 2 is a sequel to 2019’s superhit spy-thriller of the same name. War will star Hrithik Roshan, Sharvari, and Jr NTR in key roles. War 2 marks NTR’s debut in Bollywood, making the movie one of the biggest Bollywood projects ever.
Tollywood
1. Game Changer – January 10
Game Changer is an action-thriller Telugu movie that follows the life of an IAS officer who fights corruption, advocating for fair elections. This highly-awaited movie is directed by S. Shankar and stars Ram Charan in dual roles, alongside Kiara Advani, Anjali, Samuthirakani, S. J. Suryah, and others.
2. Daaku Maharaaj – January 10
Directed by Bobby Kolli, this period drama movie stars Nandamuri Balakrishna in the titular role, alongside Urvashi Rautela, Bobby Deol, making his Telugu debut, Shraddha Srinath, Pragya Jaiswal, among others.
3. Sankranthiki Vasthunam – January 14
Helmed by Anil Ravipudi, this action comedy movie is releasing on the festival of Sankranti. Starring Venkatesh, Aishwarya Rajesh, and Meenakshi Chaudhary in prominent roles.
4. Thandel – February 7
Starring Naga Chaitanya and Sai Pallavi, Thandel is an action drama about a fisherman who grapples with the challenges of coastal life. The movie also explores themes like Pakistan and India border issues.
5. Hari Hara Veera Mallu: Part 1 – March 28
Starring Pawan Kalyan in the titular role, the historical action-adventure film is directed by Krish Jagarlamudi and is set in the 17th-century Mughal Empire. This big movie of 2025 also stars Bobby Deol, Nidhhi Agerwal, Nargis Fakhri, and Hari Hara Veera Mallu: Part 1—Sword vs Spirit is based on the life of legendary outlaw Veera Mallu.
6. Ghaati – April 18
This Telugu-language action-crime drama film stars Anushka Shetty and is directed by Krish Jagarlamudi. The movie’s dubbed version will also be released in other Indian languages, including Tamil, Hindi, Kannada, and Malayalam. Ghaati’s story revolves around a story of a victim who turns into a criminal and later becomes a legend.
7. The Raja Saab – April 10
Directed and written by Maruthi, The Raja Saab stars Prabhas, Nidhi Agerwal, Riddhi Kumar, Malavika Mohanan, and Yogi Babu in key roles. This romantic comedy horror movie is one of the most-anticipated films of 2025. The movie’s official synopsis says, “The plot revolves around a young man who sets his eyes on his ancestral property to ease him out of a cash crunch. But soon he realised that the mansion is haunted by the vengeful spirit of Raja Saab.”
8. Akhanda 2: Thaandavam – September 25
With Akhanda 2, actor Balakrishna and Boyapati Srinu will be joining forces for the 4th time after blockbusters Simha, Legend, and Akhanda. Akhanda 2 is a sequel to the 2021 blockbuster movie of the same name and a highly anticipated movie for 2025.
9. HIT: The Third Case
Another blockbuster sequel that is the most awaited movie of 2025 is Nani-starrer HIT: The Third Case. The movie is the third installment in the HIT franchise and a sequel to 2022’s hit movie HIT: The Second Case. The crime thriller film is written and directed by Sailesh Kolanu.
KOLLYWOOD
1. Coolie – May
Lokesh Kanagaraj‘s directorial Coolie is one of the most-anticipated Tamil movies of 2025. Starring Rajinikanth in the lead, the action-thriller also stars Nagarjuna, Soubin Shahir, Sathyaraj, Shruti Haasan, Upendra, and Reba Monica John in key roles. The release dates are not fixed yet. Coolie’s dubbed versions will be released in Hindi, Telugu, and Kannada.
2. Vidaamuyarchi – January (Pongal)
Another upcoming Tamil movie of 2025 that is creating a lot of buzz is Ajit Kumar-starrer Vidaamuyarchi. The action-thriller is helmed by Magizh Thirumeni and also stars Trisha, Arjun Sarja, Regina Cassandra, and others. Billed as a road trip action drama, Vidaamuyarchi is said to have a lot of racing and action sequences. The release date is yet to be announced.
3. Good Bad Ugly – N/A
Another most talked-about Tamil movie of 2025 is Good Bad Ugly. Starring Ajit Kumar, Trisha Krishnan, Prabhu, Prasanna, Arjun Das, Sunil, Rahul Dev, and Yogi Babu in significant roles. Helmed by Adhik Ravichandran, Good Bad Ugly will also be released in Telugu, Hindi, Kannada, and Malayalam languages. Release date is yet to be finalised.
4. Vaa Vaathiyaar – January (Pongal)
Directed and written by Nalan Kumarasamy, this action-comedy film stars Karthi and Krithi Shetty in lead roles, alongside Sathyaraj, Rajkiran, Anandaraj, Shilpa Manjunath, among others. Vaa Vaathiyaar in English translates to teacher. The movie is a playful cop drama and is reported to be one of the big Tamil releases of 2025.
5. Indian 3 – OTT
Sequel to one of the most iconic Tamil films, Indian 3 is the third installment in the franchise. Helmed by Shankar, the vigilante action-thriller stars Kamal Haasan in the lead role, alongside Kajal Aggarwal, Rakul Preet Singh, Siddharth, S. J. Suryah, and others. As per reports, Indian 3 is said to release directly on the OTT platform.
6. Retro – Summer 2025
This Tamil romantic actioner, Retro, written and directed by Karthik Subbaraj, is one of the highly anticipated movies of 2025. Starring Suriya and Pooja Hegde in lead roles, Retro revolves around a brutal gangster who promises his would-be wife to leave his violent past and lead a peaceful life. Retro release date is yet to be announced; meanwhile, the film will also release in Hindi and Telugu.
7. Thug Life – June 5, 2025
Another superstar Tamil movie releasing in 2025 is Kamal Haasan’s Thug Life. Directed and co-written by Mani Ratnam, Haasan too has contributed to writing the script. The movie also stars Silambarasan, Trisha Krishnan, Ashok Selvan, Aishwarya Lekshmi, Joju George, Abhirami, Nassar, Ali Fazal, Pankaj Tripathi, Sanya Malhotra, Rohit Saraf, and Vaiyapuri. Haasan and Mani have previously worked in Nayakan.
8. Thalapathy 69 – October
Thalapathy 69 is one of the highly awaited Tamil films of 2025. Starring Vijay and Trisha in lead roles, the untitled movie is directed by H Vinoth. The megabudget movie is a political action thriller and is reported to be the actor’s last movie before his political entry. Other star cast members include Bobby Deol, Prakash Raj, Priyamani, Varalaxmi Sarathkumar, and others.
9. SK 25 – N/A
SK25 is the working title for the highly anticipated Tamil biopic starring Sivakarthikeyan in the lead. The other star cast of the movie includes Jayam Ravi, Atharvaa, and Sreeleela, making her Tamil debut. The Tamil-language film is written and directed by Sudha Kongara. Release date is yet to be announced.
10. Veera Dheera Sooran: Part 2 – January
Another big Tamil movie of 2025 titled Veera Dheera Sooran: Part 2 is an action thriller film written and directed by S. U. Arun Kumar. It stars Vikram in the titular role, alongside S. J. Suryah, Suraj Venjaramoodu, Dushara Vijayan, and Siddique in key roles. The movie’s official synopsis reads, “Veera Dheera Sooran: Part 2 revolves around Kaali, a provision store owner and a loving husband and father, whose involvement in a dangerous crime network and his mysterious mission forms the rest of the story.”
11. Idly Kadai – April 10
The titled Idly Kadai translates to Idli Shop in English. The movie stars Dhanush, Nithya Menen, Shalini Pandey, Arun Vijay, and Prakash Raj in significant roles. The movie is directed and produced by Dhanish.
MOLLYWOOD
1. L2: Empuraan – March 27
Mohanlal and Prithviraj Sukumaran starrer L2: Empuraan is one of the most highly anticipated Malayalam films of 2025. Directed by Prithviraj Sukumaran, the action-thriller movie is a sequel to the superhit Lucifer. Mohanlal will be reprising his role as Stephen Nedumpally, also known as Khureshi Abraam.
2. Kathanar – The Wild Sorcerer – April 2025
Another most-awaited Malayalam movie of 2025 is the fantasy thriller titled Kathanar: The Wild Sorcerer. Directed by Rojinn Thomas, the movie stars Jayasurya and Anushka Shetty, marking her Mollywood debut. Reported to be released in two parts, the story “traces the life of Kadamattathu Kathanar, a legendary 9th-century Christian priest endowed with magical powers.”
3. Dominic And The Ladies Purse – N/A
Dominic And The Ladies Purse is another most-talked-about Malayalam movie of 2025. The film is directed by Gautham Menon, featuring Mammootty in the lead role. The investigative thriller also stars Gokul Suresh, Lena, Siddique, Vijay Babu, and Viji Venkatesh.
4. Bazooka – January
Helmed by Deeno Dennis, this action-thriller Malayalam film is one of the big releases of 2025. The film stars Mammootty in the lead role.
5. Identity – January
Directed by Akhil Paul and Anas Khan, Identity is an action-thriller Malayalam film that stars Tavino Thomas in the role of an investigative officer. The film also marks the return of Trisha Krishnan to Malayalam cinema after a long break.
6. Thudarum – January 30
This family comedy-drama features Mohanlal and Shobana in lead roles. Directed by Tharun Moorthy, Thudarum is slated for release on January 30, 2025.
SANDALWOOD
1. 45 – January 3
Starring Shiva Rajkumar, Upendra, Raj B. Shetty, Jisshu Sengupta, and Kaustubha Mani in key roles, 45 is a Kannada drama movie that promises to provide a blend of a gripping story with power-packed performances. This drama film is directed by Arjun Janya and is scheduled to release on January 3, 2025.
2. Toxic: A Fairy Tale – April 10
One of the most awaited Kannada movies of 2025 is Yash-starrer Toxic: A Fairy Tale. It is reported that Kiara Advani and Nayanthara are also a part of the gangster drama, which is scheduled to release on April 10, 2025, but may get postponed. The movie is directed by Geethu Mohandas.
3. Kantara: Chapter 1 – October 2
Rishab Shetty’s highly awaited Kantara: Chapter 1 is touted to delve into the backstory and events that were held before the narrative shown in the 2022 movie Kantara. Kantara: Chapter 1 focuses on the origins of the divine folklore that occurred during the rule of the Kadambas of Banavasi. The movie also stars Jayaram, Jisshu Sengupta, and Sapthami Gowda in key roles.
4. K.G.F: Chapter 3 – N/A
Starring Yash as Rocky Bhai and Srinidhi Shetty, KGF: Chapter 3 is the third installment of KGF: Chapter 1 and KGF: Chapter 2. The third part of the movie will be about Rocky’s rule and his fight against influential people. The release date of the movie is yet to be announced.
5. KD – The Devil – N/A
Dhruva Sarja starrer KD- The Devil is the biggest Kannada movie of 2025, which everyone is waiting for. The movie also stars Reeshma Nanaiah, V. Ravichandran, Ramesh Aravind, Shilpa Shetty, Jisshu Sengupta, Nora Fatehi, and Sanjay Dutt in key roles. This high-octane action drama promises to offer intense performances and thrilling events. Directed by Prem, KD: The Devil’s release date is yet to be announced.