Top 10 standout performances in Indian movies 2025: From Rashmika Mandanna, Basil Joseph Ishaan Khatter and Vishal Jethwa

Just for a second, disregard the box office numbers. We were compelled to pause and take notice of the roster of performances in 2025 because they were so passionate and transformative, showcasing the acting prowess of Indian cinema. From seasoned actors dropping jaw-dropping bombs in the last act to fresh faces riding the wave of nerve alone, these performers weren't only portraying their parts—they were exploding them. We are, in fact, going deep.

Spoilers below: in case you haven't watched these masterworks, take this as your final warning before we reveal the year's most spectacular, heartbreaking, and brilliant climaxes.

Top 10 standout performances in Indian movies 2025

Rashmika Mandanna in The Girlfriend

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Basil Joseph in Ponman

Basil Joseph's performance in Ajesh redefined his capabilities and silenced all critics. No one in recent memory does a better job than him of capturing the untainted, frantic fury of the working-class aspirant. In the suicide counsel scene, Basil Joseph ferociously recounts his own humiliating difficulties in an attempt to rescue Bruno (Anand Manmadhan). Final spoiler alert: Ajesh gets what he wants when he catches his enemy in some big machinery to get the gold he was owed. But his decision to rescue Steffi (Lijomol Jose), the battered woman entangled in the dowry trap, from the burden of the riches and offer her a way out is when he finds true redemption. His flawless emotional arc begins with his last, soft-spoken word, the moment he surpasses obsession.

Akshaye Khanna in Dhurandhar

When he plays villains, Akshaye Khanna really owns them. In the role of Rehman Dakait, he exudes an air of commanding charisma while remaining terrifyingly unpredictable. The impromptu dance in the FA9LA entry scene, which went viral, solidified his charisma. Part 1's climax reveals that the celebration in that song is actually the exact moment Rehman commits to sell his whole Baloch community to the ISI for political power, making his performance that much more crucial. Even his loyal henchman, Hamza (Ranveer Singh), recognises this treachery, which ensures his downfall. Hamza abruptly cuts off Rehman's hypnotic screen presence when he executes him. This stunning death establishes the power shift for the sequel and confirms Khanna's role as the epic's dark and brilliant trigger.

Ishaan Khatter and Vishal Jethwa in Homebound

One cannot be discussed in isolation from the other. A connection was formed between Shoaib (Ishaan Khatter) and Chandan (Vishal Jethwa) that was so direct, genuine, and tragic. After a torturous trip home during the lockdown, Chandan, who was already ill with fever and dehydration, dies in Shoaib's arms; their sincere portrayal of friendship makes the spoiler intolerable. Worst twist: the official letter confirming his appointment to the police does not arrive until after he has passed away. The final scenes, featuring Ishaan Khatter carrying the body and finding the letter, are deeply poignant. His acting, which was already powerful, takes on a new level of intensity as he experiences profound and life-altering grief and is determined to honour his friend's ambition that he lost.

Yami Gautam in Haq

The National Award submission for Yami Gautam is here! Shazia Bano's last legal triumph was all the more impactful because of how she portrayed her character's raging wrath and fierce loyalty with very little stagecraft. The most significant setback is the historic decision itself: a bench rules that the oral, instant Triple Talaq is null and invalid, setting a historic precedent against the practice and ensuring Shazia and her children's maintenance after her courageous and dignified fight that reaches the Supreme Court. The courtroom is charged with Yami's quiet conviction; she went from being a mute survivor to a determined emblem of women's rights, and her dignified performance proved that a long-standing injustice was smashed.

Prakash Verma in Thudarum

No one anticipated this! In his role as CI George Mathan, advertising film maestro Prakash Verma makes the year's most startling antagonistic debut. Behind his icy demeanour and cold calculations lies an incredibly dangerous and terrifying evil. A big spoiler is how thoroughly depraved George is and how brutally he meets his end: after he kills the stepson of the protagonist, Benz (Mohanlal), the latter escapes from prison and goes for George. To get back with George, Benz viciously beats and strangles him to death in front of Mary (Aarsha Chandini Baiju), his daughter, in the last confrontation. The terrible death of Verma's character was one of the most horrifying endings of the year due to his unsettling portrayal of a man who keeps his composure until his very last minutes.

Rukmini Vasanth in Kantara: A Legend Chapter 1

Playing the warrior princess Kanakavathi, a part that calls for elegance and a strong dedication to the historical period, Rukmini Vasanth displays stunning poise. Swordsmanship, equestrian skills, and royal body language were all areas in which she spent much time training. Despite her powerful but understated performance at the beginning of the film, the terrible treachery that unfolds as she aids her kingdom's power battle by scheming against the Kantara tribe and its hero, Berme (Rishab Shetty), is the most significant twist. Even though Berme tried to be diplomatic at first, this betrayal of trust makes her even more enraged. The tragic adversary role is locked when, in the conclusion, Berme, who is possessed by the deity Guliga, confronts Kanakavathi, who, in her despair, employs forbidden rites.

Dulquer Salmaan in Kaantha

Dulquer Salmaan's portrayal of T.K. Mahadevan, a charismatic superstar with a violent and dark ego, is his most accomplished and tragic performance to date. Already renowned is the moment of his emotional explosion in the Mirror-Smashing Sequence. The genuine bombshell of the film is its devastating, nihilistic conclusion, in which Mahadevan admits to his mentor Ayya (Samuthirakani) that he killed Kumari (Bhagyashri Borse) out of irrational suspicion. Ayya, unable to live with the senseless betrayal, shoots himself in the head. The film concludes with Mahadevan's film still playing, proving that he survives legally, but his soul is broken, as seen by his frantic hitting of his head against a mirror. He is left alone with his confession and his fame, which he desperately clings to. This film brilliantly and melancholically depicts the price of an unbridled ego.

Nani in HIT: The Third Case

Nani's SP Arjun Sarkaar cemented his position in the HIT universe by infusing shocking naturalism into a role that fundamentally altered our understanding of the franchise. The revelation implicates Arjun in both the murders and the pursuit of a dark web cult. His documented killings of paedophiles were a ruse to stealthily infiltrate the CTK cult, and the "victims" were actually his victims. His actual objective is to eliminate Samuel Joseph (Ravindra Vijay), the mastermind, who he encounters while incarcerated. In the cruel twist that comes at the end, he falsely claims credit for all the killings to maintain the honour of ACP Dhanya Mohan (Ruheen Ali Khan), the undercover officer who died to save a baby, and he finds himself incarcerated on purpose to kill Joseph. Nani's quiet dignity elevates his performance, as he prioritises moral closure over legal freedom.

Shaneel Gautham in Su From So

Shaneel Gautham’s delightful performance as Ravi Anna is the ultimate example of a performer grounding total absurdity in hilarious reality. The film's key conflict—the hero Ashoka being possessed by the ghost of "Sulochana"—is shown to be an elaborate hoax that Ashoka (J. P. Thuminad) concocted to get out of jail, which undermines the entire premise. The revered village elder, Ravi, devotes the entire film to attempting to bring order to this absurd mayhem. While solving the case of the false possession, Ravi develops feelings for Bhanu (Sandhya Arakere), the daughter of the actually dead Sulochana. Ravi's final move, which ends the turmoil and upheaval while finding unexpected love, is to accept Bhanu's marriage proposal through a series of outrageously unlikely and contrived occurrences. Shaneel's reliable and amiable performance made this charmingly chaotic resolution a resounding success.

All of the actors on this list are noteworthy for the risks they were willing to take. In 2025, every performance—from Mandanna's emotional collapse to Basil's dramatic turn, from Khanna's wicked path to the absolute tragedy shown by Ishaan and Vishal—defined an important part of storytelling. The outcome is the pinnacle of the year, a subject of discussion, analysis, and enduring memory.