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2025 has been—in cinema—a year like no other. Unique even by standards of uniqueness. And I would like to begin its recap too in a unique way. By looking at (a) Critic-Proof films (b) Recycled Films and (c) Pan-Indian films that smashed stereotype. Here then are films that can collectively be, perhaps, termed “Eccentric Cinema”!
Critic-Proof Cinema
Badass Ravikumar was as critic-proof as one could get! The opening credits bluntly stated that the film is not only a part of Himesh Reshammiya’s ‘The Xpose (2017) Universe’ but was also about “80’s style entertainment / Logic Optional.” An action thriller with lots of music, the film cocked a snook at critics by being irreverent fun, snazzy and pertinent to its own ‘retro’ flavor and enacted with aplomb by Himesh himself (he was also co-writer, co-producer, singer and composer) and Prabhu Dheva (as the music-loving villain). It fetched a great initial but quickly fizzled out! Towards the end of 2025, Himesh had a sellout concert though of his songs down the decades, showing that while he is still adored, his cinematic adventure did not really keep up!
Housefull 5 was the first franchise to touch this figure after Golmaal, 1920, Raaz, Hate Story, Baaghi and the children’s series Chhota Bheem touched 4. With an incredibly ensemble cast, the film went on to gross over Rs. 400 crores globally on a (debated) budget of around half that figure. It combined trademark Housefull-brand comedy with a whodunit and had two versions made. With one killer common and one different, and thus two climaxes. Opinion was divided on whether the film was a success, hit or flop and this was actually viewed as per a viewer’s perception of it as a movie. Nevertheless, the US gross was extraordinary, and the film was considered to have done well.
Mastiii 4 was the kind of movie that made purists cringe, but within the audience, couples as well as individuals and groups were enjoying the risqué lines, the double-entendres and the kind of audiovisual funs and one-liners that this franchise, Masti (average), Grand Masti (super-hit) and Great Grand Masti (a flop) was known for. But the film was critic-proof with a vengeance, at a far higher level than the two films mentioned above.
The Recycled Lot
Sholay led a recycled trio of films. The greatest hit in the history of Indian cinema was restored to meet the demands of the present generation. The film looked brand-new, and its timeless content and aura helped further to make this record-smashing film a superb experience. What’s more, the film was named Sholay—The Final Cut as it included all the sequences originally cut by the 1975 censors. Sadly, the unfortunate timing of release made Sholay buckle under what seems to be the highest Hindi earner of all time in the way it is heading—Dhurandhar.
Akshardham: Operation Vajra Shakti was the new name under which the 2021 OTT (ZEE5) release, State of Siege: The Temple Attack, was released in the theatres. It was said to be a “revamped” version by some and a “standalone sequel” (whatever that meant!) by others. In any case, a story based on the 2002 Akshardham (the Gujarat temple) attack by terrorists, could sensibly not be stretched after the terrorists were eliminated in the 2021 version, right?
Soulmates was the 2025 technically cleaned and updated version of the 2004 offbeat Tips Films’ production, Hari Om. Featuring an early Vijay Raaz in a heartwarming feel-good romance, the 21-year-old film was charming but did not go anywhere when released on Apple TV, after a restricted release and festival plaudits back then.
Mythology Ahoy!
Mahavatar Narsimha is the small wonder this year. Originally a Telugu film, it opened as well as performed better in Hindi more than in that language. Made on a budget of about Rs. 40 crores, it has made over eight times that figure and is the first Indian animation movie to (a) cross 100 crore (b) beat all animation films from Hollywood ever in India in collections and (c) be shortlisted for the Oscars!
Says the trade, “The trailer did the magic. People, especially the youth, decided that they just had to watch this film. And word-of-mouth was like fire! Besides, mythology seems to be in now, as the young have never been familiar with it thanks to a decline in reading books on ancient Hindu stories!”
Kantara: A Legend—Chapter 1 was the second such film, originally made for Kannada viewers and released in multiple languages. The Hindi version was also a smash-hit. It also had its base in Kannada mythology.
However, the fact that mythology also needed good cinematic treatment as a must was proved by the facts that while the Hindi Thamma also did well, Maa tumbled by the wayside, while a Gujarati film (which they might release in Hindi soon) named Laalo – Krishna Sada Sahaayate, has joined the ranks of the all-time small wonders. Made on a budget of Rs. 5 million, the film has grossed Rs. 111 crore and is still running!
