While 2025 delivered some epic blockbusters like Dhurandhar and Saiyaara, the year also proved to be disastrous for some of the well-known names in the industry, be it Salman Khan or Hrithik Roshan. Weak plots, saturation of unnecessary violence, and less-than-satisfactory visuals sank some of the biggest films of the year. Take a look.

Sikandar

Cast: Salman Khan, Rashmika Mandanna Director: A.R. Murugadoss Budget: Rs 200 crore Worldwide Gross: Rs 182.7 crore

Sikandar had a lot of expectations riding on it. Salman Khan’s stardom had taken a hit after back-to-back underwhelming box-office outings. A.R. Murugadoss was directing a Hindi actioner with a ‘Khan’ for the first time since 2008’s Ghajini. The production scale was also massive. All the buzz, and a holiday release during Eid ensured the film gets a decent opening. But Sikandar soon lost momentum as mixed reviews and weak word of mouth caught up with it. Reportedly made on a Rs 200 crore budget, the film even failed to break even.

Emergency

Cast: Kangana Ranaut Director: Kangana Ranaut, Vishak Nair, Anupam Kher, Shreyas Talpade Budget: Rs 50 crore Worldwide Gross: Rs 22.5 crore

Kangana Ranaut’s Emergency was mired in controversy from the very beginning. The film’s release was postponed several times, Kangana’s controversial comments about the farmer’s protests riled up sections of the society in the run up to the release. And when the film finally reached theatres, it hardly had any takers. Despite Kangana wearing multiple hats and tackling a politically-charged subject, audiences stayed away. With collections failing to even recover half its budget, Emergency proved once again that controversy alone cannot sustain a film at the box office.

War 2

Cast: Hrithik Roshan, Jr NTR, Kiara Advani Director: Ayan Mukerji Budget: Rs 400 crore Worldwide Gross: Rs 360.7 crore

One of the most anticipated films of 2025, War 2 had all the ingredients to become a blockbuster. A sensational cast, a director hot off the success of another blockbuster film, a franchise that people love. However, War 2 failed to meet the expectations of the audience. Despite well-mounted action spectacles, the sequel failed to recreate the cultural and commercial impact of its predecessor. Viewers complained that the storyline was wafer thin, most scenes felt artificial and shot in front of a green screen, and the long runtime was exhausting.

Son of Sardaar 2

Cast: Ajay Devgn, Mrunal Thakur, Ravi Kishan Budget: Rs 100 crore Worldwide Gross: Rs 65.8 crore

When sequels have little value to add to a franchise, they often try to capitalise on nostalgia. That was the case with Son of Sardaar 2. With poor jokes, rampant sexism and a cliched plot, the film struggled to connect with audiences, who found little reason to invest in a follow-up that lacked the freshness of the original.

Baaghi 4

Cast: Tiger Shroff, Sanjay Dutt, Harnaaz Sandhu Director: Harsha Budget: Rs 80 crore Worldwide Gross: Rs 49.1 crore

The Baaghi franchise has been showing signs of exhaustion since the third instalment itself and Baaghi 4 confirmed it. Despite familiar high-octane action and Tiger Shroff’s physical prowess, audiences seemed to have moved on from the franchise. Some viewers even complained that the film tried to capitalise on the Animal craze (read gore and violence) without much to offer in return.

(The box office figures quoted are based on trade figures and media reports)