The 1000 crore club has become a benchmark for Indian cinema. Back in the day, the 100 crore club was considered elite. The 1000 crore milestone was first reached by Baahubali: The Conclusion in 2017. Later, Dangal from Hindi cinema joined, thanks to its strong international run. After the pandemic, films like RRR, KGF 2, Pathaan, Jawan, Pushpa 2 and Kalki 2898 AD kept the trend going for three consecutive years.
This year, however, it seems unlikely that any Indian film will cross 1000 crores. At the start of 2025, three films were considered strong contenders: War 2, starring Hrithik Roshan and Jr NTR, Coolie, starring Rajinikanth, directed by Lokesh Kanagaraj and Kantara Chapter 1, starring and directed by Rishab Shetty.
War 2, directed by Ayan Mukerji and the sixth film in the popular YRF spy universe, was expected to perform strongly after Pathaan’s success in 2023. But it opened to mixed reviews and ended its run with under 400 crores worldwide.
Coolie, a multi-starrer action drama featuring Rajinikanth, Nagarjuna, Aamir Khan, Upendra, and Soubin Shahir, was seen as Tamil cinema’s first potential 1000 crore film. Released on August 14 alongside War 2, it underperformed and finished just above 500 crores.
Kantara Chapter 1, the sequel to the 2022 hit, is still performing well in theatres. But limited contributions from Hindi and overseas markets make reaching 1000 crores unlikely. It has currently crossed 700 crores and may add another 100–150 crores at most, likely becoming the highest-grossing Indian film of 2025. It is expected to surpass Chhava, a Hindi film on Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj starring Vicky Kaushal.
With these major releases falling short, 2025 may end without a 1000 crore film. After three consecutive years of reaching the milestone, Indian cinema faces a gap this year. Fans are hoping for a surprise in the coming months.