India box office had another busy weekend from April 25–27, 2025, but not as many had anticipated. Instead of new releases taking center stage, holdover films continued their strong run, with Kesari Chapter 2 and Jaat emerging as the top performers, while newer releases struggled. As the industry gears up for the release of Raid 2, it’s clear that audiences are showing more interest in films they already trust, leading to an unpredictable phase for the Indian theatrical business.
Kesari Chapter 2: Positive Signs for the Film
Kesari Chapter 2 is showing some positive signs now, with a strong second weekend performance. Saturday’s collections were particularly impressive, reaching ₹7–7.25 crore nett, a notable 75–80% jump from Friday, especially in markets like Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh. With a holiday on the first Friday and a strong hold over the weekend, the film experienced a mild 35% drop week-on-week.. The film’s 10-day India net total stands at ₹65.45 crore. Given the consistency of its performance, the film looks set to comfortably reach the ₹80 crore mark in the coming days, reinforcing the power of word-of-mouth and broad appeal across metros and mass markets.
Jaat: The End of a Dream Run
Jaat, a Hindi film starring Sunny Deol, extended its run into its third weekend, but its momentum is now slowing. On its opening day (Thursday), it earned ₹9.5 crore, followed by strong growth on Saturday with ₹9.75 crore and a solid ₹14 crore on Sunday. The film’s opening weekend collection amounted to ₹61.65 crore. However, the film’s box office saw a rapid decline by Monday, falling to ₹7.25 crore with a drop-off in the weekdays. Despite this, it managed to rally with a ₹5 crore collection on Sunday (Week 2). With a total of ₹84.90 crore nett over 18 days, it seems the film’s box office run is nearing its end. Despite its initial success, Jaat is unlikely to cover its hefty ₹100 crore production budget. While it had a solid start, the film will struggle to achieve profitability, and its remaining box office potential appears limited.
New Releases Falter: Ground Zero and Phule Struggle
Ground Zero, made on a moderate budget of ₹50 crore, has turned out to be a total disaster at the box office. The film earned just ₹3 crore nett over the weekend and saw minimal growth despite a 60% jump on Saturday. With little remaining audience interest, Ground Zero seems poised to fail, and unless something unexpected or miraculous happens, it has no chance of turning around its poor performance.
Phule, the biopic about the lives of Jyotiba and Savitribai Phule, also failed to meet expectations. The film opened to disappointing numbers, and its reviews from both critics and audiences were overwhelmingly negative. Given the lackluster box office performance and the harsh feedback, it’s clear that Phule will struggle to make any significant impact moving forward.
Raid 2: Strong Advances Build Big Expectations
Looking ahead, the release of Raid 2 is the big story on the horizon. The film, a sequel to the 2018 Ajay Devgn starrer, opened its advance bookings on Sunday, and early signs are highly promising. With around 8,000 tickets sold at major theater chains (PVR-INOX, Cinepolis, and Miraj), there’s a lot of anticipation surrounding the release. The film benefits from brand equity, a strong following from the original, and a strategic release coinciding with the Maharashtra Day holiday on May 1st. Raid 2 could give fresh releases a much-needed boost and offer a welcome shift from the current trend of holdover dominance.
Repeat Run: Andaz Apna Apna Performs Moderately
The re-release of Andaz Apna Apna clocked ₹50 lakh nett over its first two days, outperforming previous repeat runs like Karan Arjun and Kaho Naa… Pyaar Hai. However, true to trends, it is clear that re-releases today work best for urban-centric romances rather than broader cult comedies. The limited urban nostalgia for Andaz Apna Apna gave it decent numbers but not enough to make major waves.
Stories you may like:
Regional Highlights: Malayalam and Tamil Films Keep Momentum Alive
Thudarum (Malayalam)
Thudarum was another notable film this weekend. With a collection of ₹25.03 crore over its four-day run, the film performed solidly at the box office. The Malayalam film earned ₹5.25 crore on its opening day, with a significant rise of 63.81% on Saturday. By Sunday, the film grossed ₹10.89 crore, showing strong audience retention. The subsequent drop-off on Monday (₹0.29 crore) suggests it will have a steep decline, but its opening performance was solid.
Thudarum is likely to do well in the coming days in its core markets but will face challenges outside its primary audience base.
Good Bad Ugly (Tamil)
Tamil Film Good Bad Ugly has been on a downward trajectory after a strong opening. With a collection of ₹29.25 crore on its first day, it managed to hold its ground on Saturday and Sunday, with ₹22.3 crore on Sunday. However, the collections started dropping rapidly after the weekend, with ₹7 crore on Tuesday and ₹5.55 crore on Wednesday.
By the end of its second week, Good Bad Ugly’s total earnings stood at ₹150.80 crore. Despite its strong opening and decent weekend performance, the film could not sustain its momentum due to a steep decline in interest as it moved into Week 2.
India Box Office: Full of Surprises
If this weekend taught anything, it’s that the Indian box office, particularly for Hindi films, is entering a phase of greater unpredictability. Holdover titles like Kesari Chapter 2 and Jaat outshining newer films like Ground Zero sends a clear message: audiences are valuing storytelling and emotional investment over novelty.
With Raid 2 poised to test the waters further, the coming weeks will determine whether this unpredictability evolves into a more pronounced trend — one where content truly becomes king again, regardless of its release date.
Exciting, volatile, and ever-changing, the Indian theatrical landscape in 2025 is anything but predictable.
(Disclaimer: Box office numbers are based on estimates and subject to change)
Read More about Bollywood