Decoding 5 surprise hits of 2025: Saiyaara to Lokah Chapter 1, Su From So and more
Newcomers and gripping story-telling propelled several small and mid-scale films to box office success, boasting figures that literally no one, not even the movie teams, saw coming.
Last Updated: 10.12 AM, Dec 14, 2025
In a year that had quite a few star-led success stories at the box office, including, Rishab Shetty’s Kantara Chapter 1, Vicky Kaushal’s Chhaava, Rajinikanth’s Coolie, Mohanlal’s L2: Empuraan and Thudarum, Ajith’s Good Bad Ugly, Pawan Kalyan’s They Call Him OG, Venkatesh’s Sankrantiki Vastunam, among many others, there were also a bunch of films that won audiences over and how.
Here’s a look at 5 of the most surprising hits of 2025 across languages
Saiyaara
Language: Hindi
A romantic drama with newbies in the lead, Saiyaara was not expected to do much damage at the box office, even though it was made by Mohit Suri, who’s got films like Aashiqui 2, Ek Villain, Awarapan and so many more to his credit. Released in theatres in July, the Hindi film defied all expectations to become one of the highest grossers of the year.
The fresh story, the performances and chemistry of the lead pair and the soulful music worked well for the film, but what really propelled it to blockbuster status is the effect it had on young viewers. The emotional drama triggered deep feelings in GenZ audiences, most of who were seen bawling their eyes out in theatres.
Made at a modest Rs 40 cr budget, Saiyaara made nearly Rs 570 cr world-wide, but once it came on OTT, the sentiment changed, with large sections of audiences wondering what the hype was about, as they felt that the plot was far from original and the narration not realistic, especially with regard to a health issue the heroine faces.
Saiyaara is available to stream on Netflix.
Also read: Saiyaara review: Mohit Suri’s old-school romance gets a fresh coat with Ahaan Panday and Aneet Padda
Language: Malayalam
When Lokah Chapter 1: Chandra was announced, its big calling card was that it was being produced by actor Dulquer Salmaan. Although Premalu fame Naslen was on the cast, it was a female-led film, with Kalyani Priyadarshan in the title role as Chandra. Director Dominic Arun’s only claim to fame was the critically-acclaimed dark comedy Tharangam, so the film did not have much hype around it at the onset.
After the first show, though, everything turned around, when audiences realized that instead of a small-time fantasy flick, Dominic had managed to present an engaging modern-day adaptation of the folklore of Kaliyankattu Neeli as a female superhero flick, with high production value, perfect casting, fascinating action blocks, background score that elevated the entire viewing experience, etc.
Made at a modest Rs 30 cr budget, the film went on to become the highest grossing Malayalam film ever, amassing over Rs 300 cr, based on strong word-of mouth. Although the film was dubbed in other languages and released across the country, it is the Malayalam original version that audiences everywhere preferred.
Lokah Chapter 1: Chandra is available to stream on JioHotstar (via OTTplay Premium also)
Also read:
Language: Tamil
A heartwarming tale of a Sri Lankan Tamil family of four making a perilous journey across the sea to seek refuge in a small town in Tamil Nadu and hoping to blend in seamlessly, almost ends badly for them when they are suspected of being responsible for a bombing. Led by M Sasikumar and Simran, the film by Abhishen Jeevith, caught the attention of audiences, who liked the grounded story about a family who left everything behind in the hope of starting afresh in India and the challenges they face.
The film’s core themes of dignity and humanity struck a chord with audiences, and went on to gross Rs 90 cr at the box office. Given that the film was made on a budget of about Rs 7 cr only, this success is a measure of just how loved it was in theatres. In fact, the film even received praise from the likes of filmmaker SS Rajamouli and actor-filmmaker Dhanush.
Tourist Family streaming on JioHotstar (also via OTTplay Premium)
Language: Kannada
A film featuring a cast of relative newbies and actors best known for supporting roles, produced by an actor-filmmaker, who kept his onscreen involvement a secret until it came to theatres to let the content do the talking. That is what the little-known Kannada film Su From So was. Raj B Shetty produced the film written and directed by JP Thuminad, best known for his role in Sapta Sagaradaache Ello Side B. They made no noise about the making and let audiences know about it only when they were ready for release.
A song came out, Danks Anthem, which caught on well and then a trailer, which evoked just enough intrigue. Then, instead of flooding social media and online channels with cast and crew interviews, Raj decided to take the film to audiences and let them do the needful as far as publicity goes. He held a bunch of paid premieres across the state and the result was phenomenal,
The film, which was made on a budget of around Rs 4.5 cr (with another Rs 1.5 cr spent on promotions), went on to become the first major Kannada hit of the year, amassing over Rs 100 cr at the box office. While the film’s situational comedy was widely appreciated, its underlying message when the hero stands up for the dignity of a woman who has been continuously wronged by society.
Su From So is stream ing on JioHotstar (via OTTplay Premium also)
Also read: Su from So movie review: JP Thuminad’s delightful comedy has its heart and soul in the right place
Court: State vs A Nobody
Language: Telugu
Director Ram Jagadeesh’s gripping courtroom drama was presented by Telugu star Nani in theatres, who, in turn, went all out to promote it, as he felt that it was a story to be told and heard. Court: State vs A Nobody, starring Priyadarshi Pulikonda, Sivaji, Harsh Roshan, Sridevi Apalla and Rohini, among others, was praised for its intense, realistic portrayal of a POCSO case, focusing on human emotions and legal intricacies rather than cinematic liberties and drama.
Made at a modest Rs 5 cr budget, the film is said to have made in the vicinity of Rs 60 cr worldwide and was well received after its OTT debut as well. What worked for the film was that its primary focus was on strong performances than star power.
Court: State vs A Nobody is streaming on Netflix
Also read:
Top Films and Series on OTTplay FAQs
Q: What are the top films on OTTplay in 2025?
A: The top films on OTTplay in 2025 are Narivetta, Bhagwat Chapter One: Raakshas, Kishkindhapuri, Alappuzha Gymkhana, and more.
Q: What are the top series on OTTplay in 2025?
A: The top series on OTTplay in 2025 are Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah, Maharani, CID, The Hunt - The Rajiv Gandhi Assassination Case, and more.