Top 10 Indian Movies of 2025: I Watched Everything So You Don't Have To

Look, I’m not gonna lie curating this list was harder than getting Coldplay tickets in Mumbai. 2025 was a weird year; we had massive budget disasters and quiet indie masterpieces that absolutely gagged me. I’ve sifted through the noise, the PR hype, and the box office inflation to bring you the movies that actually mattered. These are my top 10 picks—the ones that lived rent-free in my head long after the credits rolled. If your favorite isn't here, we can agree to disagree (but I’m right).

10. Lokah Chapter 1

The Facts: Directed by Dominic Arun, starring Dulquer Salmaan as a vampire. My Insider Take: I am obsessed with the audacity here. Malayalam cinema deciding to make a superhero franchise rooted in actual folklore instead of just copying the West? Iconic. Dulquer playing a vampire with centuries of trauma is the mood I didn't know I needed. It’s ambitious, it’s grounded, and it’s a massive W for regional storytelling.

9. Superboys of Malegaon

The Facts: Directed by Reema Kagti, produced by Excel Entertainment. My Insider Take: In a year full of "content," this film felt like art. It’s a tribute to the pure, unadulterated joy of filmmaking. Watching the characters lose themselves in the magic of cinema made me feel things I haven't felt since pre-pandemic times. It’s not perfect—the ending felt a bit rushed—but the vibes? Immaculate.

8. Baramulla

The Facts: Directed by Aditya Suhas Jambhale, streaming on Netflix. My Insider Take: This one caught me completely off guard. It’s an investigative thriller set in Kashmir that doesn’t rely on cheap tropes. The cinematography by Arnold Fernandes is breathtaking, and Bhasha Sumbli’s performance is etched in my memory. It’s criminal that more people aren't talking about this.

7. Kantara Chapter 1

The Facts: The massive prequel by Rishab Shetty. My Insider Take: The pressure on Rishab was insane, but he delivered. He took the budget and actually put it on the screen. This isn't just a movie; it's a spectacle. The fact that he could expand on such a niche tradition like Bhoota Kola and make it a Pan-Indian event again proves he’s in a league of his own.

6. Stolen

The Facts: A 93-minute thriller dropped on Prime Video. My Insider Take: Finally, a movie that respects my time! No fluff, just pure anxiety for an hour and a half. Abhishek Banerjee is terrifyingly good. It’s gritty, it’s fast, and it reminds me of those mid-2000s thrillers that just got straight to the point. A total sleeper hit.

5. The Girlfriend

The Facts: Directed by Rahul Ravindran, starring Rashmika Mandanna. My Insider Take: Okay, this is my controversial pick. People will hate it, but I loved the toxicity. Rashmika gives her career-best performance here. It’s framed as a romance, but let’s be real—it’s a horror movie about red flags. The way the walls close in on her character? Chilling.

4. Dhurandhar

The Facts: Directed by Aditya Dhar, featuring Ranveer Singh and Madhavan. My Insider Take: Commercial cinema done right. It’s gritty, it’s gory, and it treats the audience like adults. Aditya Dhar proves he can handle scale without turning it into a cartoon. Plus, seeing people who usually hate movies actually enjoy this in theaters was a vibe shift I wasn't expecting.

3. Bison

The Facts: A sports biopic starring Dhruv Vikram, directed by Mari Selvaraj. My Insider Take: If you thought this was just another "struggle" movie, you played yourself. Dhruv Vikram’s transformation is insane, and the Kabaddi scenes are technically brilliant. But it’s the father-son dynamic that wrecked me. I was hooked from start to finish.

2. Homebound

The Facts: Directed by Neeraj Ghaywan, India’s Oscar submission. My Insider Take: Neeraj Ghaywan made us wait a decade for a feature, and he did not disappoint. This is cinema that hurts in the best way. Ishaan Khatter and Vishal Jethwa poured their souls into this. It’s not escapism; it’s a mirror to reality, and it’s arguably the most important film of the year.

1. Ponman

The Facts: Directed by Jothish Shankar, starring Basil Joseph and Sajin Gopu. My Insider Take: This is it. My #1 pick. It sounds simple—a story about gold and ego—but the execution is flawless. Basil Joseph is the most versatile actor working right now, period. The tension, the comedy, the anxiety—it all balances perfectly. It’s the kind of underdog story that makes you want to scream at the screen. Absolute cinema. Fans Also Asked

1. Is Ponman (2025) available to watch on OTT platforms in India? Yes, Ponman is streaming exclusively on JioHotstar. It dropped in March 2025, so you can binge my #1 pick right now.

2. What is the story of The Girlfriend movie starring Rashmika Mandanna? It explores a toxic relationship that spirals into psychological horror. It’s not your typical rom-com; think "obsessive love" turned up to eleven.

3. Did the movie Dhurandhar get good reviews from critics? It’s rare, but yes—Dhurandhar was both a commercial hit and critically praised for its gritty, grounded take on the spy genre.

4. Why was Homebound selected as India's official entry for the Oscars 2025? The Film Federation chose it for its raw, emotionally immersive storytelling and brilliant performances by Ishaan Khatter and Vishal Jethwa.