The December of 2024 was very much a mixed bag for Indian Cinema with only Allu Arjun- Rashmika Mandanna and Sukumar’s Pushpa 2 -The Rule being able to get the audience in the theaters. On the Hindi front there was Varun Dhawan’s Baby John and Anil Sharma’s Vanvaas, while Baby John did manage to earn almost Rs 40 crore, Vanvaas sank without a trace. As 2025 dawned upon us there was hope there was hope from Hindi cinema as one was going to witness an array of releases from high-octane action thrillers to poignant political dramas, the month offered a cinematic feast for audiences.But in the end there was only one saving grace and it came from the very unexpected hero Akshay Kumar.
1. Fateh (Released on January 10, 2025)
Directed by Sonu Sood in his directorial debut, “Fateh” is an action-thriller that showcases Sood in the lead role, supported by Jacqueline Fernandez, Naseeruddin Shah, and Vijay Raaz was the year’s first Hindi release. The trend in the last 20 years has been that the first film of the year usually fails and the exact thing happened with Sonu’s debut. Though as a director he got appreciated for his skill, outlook and action. Box Office Performance: “Fateh” garnered a total collection of ₹18.20 crore worldwide.The film minted just Rs 13 crore at the box office.
2. Emergency (Released on January 17, 2025)
Helmed by Kangana Ranaut, who also portrays former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, “Emergency” is a political drama that delves into the tumultuous period of India’s Emergency era. The ensemble cast includes Shreyas Talpade, Anupam Kher, Milind Soman, Vishak Nair, and Mahima Chaudhry.The actress was appreciated for her nuanced performance in the film but the film could hardly find any takers probably because of the era it was set in or because the film’s delay because of censor issues had killed audience enthusiasm. It earned Rs 18 crore in India at the box office.
3. Azaad (Released on January 17, 2025)
Released on the same day as “ Emergency” ,was director Abhishek Kapoor’s “Azaad” . It marked the debut of Ajay Devgn’s nephew Aman Devgan and Raveena Tandon’s daughter Rasha Thadani. Ajay even made a guest appearance in the film along with Diana Penty. The narrative centers on a young man’s journey of self-discovery amidst societal challenges.The film had failed to connect with the audience starting with it’s trialer and eaned just Rs 7 crore in India.
4. Sky Force (Released on January 24, 2025)
An aerial action drama directed by Sandeep Kewlani and Abhishek Anil Kapoor, “Sky Force” features Akshay Kumar, Veer Pahariya, Nimrat Kaur and Sara Ali Khan. The film chronicles the valor of the Indian Air Force during a critical mission.It emerged as the biggest hit of the month with a total collection of Rs 103 crore and Akshay’s first Rs 100 crore hit in two years. His last major hit was Rohit Shetty’s Sooryvanshi which released just as lockdown got lifted.
5. Deva (Released on January 31, 2025)
Directed by Rosshan Andrrews, “Deva” is a remake of the 2013 Malayalam film “Mumbai Police” but with a few changes made to the screenplay to make it more palatable to Hindi audiences. The film had a lot of buzz right from the first poster to trailer to songs, in fact even the exhibition industry was expecting the film to bring a lot of joy to the theaters. But the film fell extremely short of expectations. The film stars Shahid Kapoor, Pooja Hegde, and Pavail Gulati and earned just Rs 24 crore in the first 5 days.
January 2025 offered a spectrum of films catering to diverse audience preferences. While “Sky Force” soared at the box office, films like “Emergency” and “Deva” showcased strong performances by the lead actors but overall the month’s releases underscored Bollywood’s endeavor to blend commercial appeal with substantive narratives.
