As 2025 unfolds, South Indian cinema continues to captivate audiences with a stellar lineup of films that promise high-octane action, heartfelt storytelling, and cinematic brilliance. From eagerly awaited blockbusters to possible career milestones, this year is set to be a landmark for the industry.
Kannada Cinema: Yash and Rishab Shetty Steal the Spotlight
The Kannada film industry remains at the forefront of Indian cinema, with two of its biggest stars ready to dominate the box office.Yash, who achieved pan-India stardom with the ‘KGF’ series, is back with the highly anticipated action drama, ‘Yuva,’ directed by Narthan. Fans are brimming with excitement to see Yash in yet another larger-than-life role.
Rishab Shetty, following the monumental success of ‘Kantara,’ is gearing up to deliver the much-awaited sequel, ‘Kantara 2.’ Known for his ability to weave rooted storytelling with stunning visuals, Rishab is expected to garner both critical acclaim and box-office success once again.
Tamil Cinema: Farewells and Iconic Projects
Tamil cinema will witness an emotional and dynamic year as it celebrates its stars and their legacies. Thalapathy Vijay is set to deliver ‘Thalapathy 69,’ directed by Lokesh Kanagaraj, which is rumored to be his swan song. Fans eagerly anticipate a fitting farewell to the actor who has redefined Tamil cinema over decades. Rajinikanth, the evergreen superstar, is all set to headline ‘Coolie,’ also helmed by Lokesh Kanagaraj. This project promises to bridge generations of fans with its intriguing storyline and Rajini’s unparalleled charisma. Kamal Haasan adds his own flair to the year with ‘Thug Life’ and ‘Indian 3,’ while Ajith Kumar keeps fans excited with ‘Good Bad Ugly’ and ‘Vidaamuyarchi.’Dhanush adds variety with ‘Idly Kadai,’ a project that has already piqued curiosity among cinephiles.
Girish Wankhede has his own views on South films doing extremely well and the audience is hoping for better entertainment this year as well. He shares, “The present state of South Indian cinema is truly exhilarating, both within its traditional territories and on a pan-Indian scale. With an impressive track record of monumental blockbusters such as “RRR,” “Baahubali,” and “KGF,” and then Pushpa 2,” South Indian films have transcended regional boundaries, garnering widespread acclaim and acceptance across the nation. The success of these films has not only bolstered the credibility of the industry but has also significantly elevated the status of Southern stars, making them household names in various parts of India.”
As we step into January, the excitement is palpable, with a remarkable lineup of five to six major releases slated for the month. Among them is the highly anticipated “Game Changer,” featuring the charismatic Ram Charan, alongside “Sankranthiki VasthuNaam,” starring the versatile Venkatesh Daggubati. The month also promises the action-packed “Daku Maharaj,” headlined by Telugu superstar Nandamuri Balakrishna, and “Vanangan,” featuring the talented Arun Vijay. Furthermore, the film with superstar Ajith Kumar and Trisha Krishnan, titled “Vidaamuyarchi,” adds to the impressive roster. Additionally, the Malayalam fantasy comedy “Ennu Swantham Punyalan,” featuring Arjun Ashokan, and an action thriller titled “Identity,” starring Tovino Thomas, further enrich the cinematic offerings this January. Not to be overlooked is “Thudarum,” showcasing the legendary Mohanlal in the role of a taxi driver,” he adds.
Girish elaborated further, “As we look ahead, the momentum shows no signs of slowing down. The upcoming months will continue to unveil a plethora of films, with at least five to six major releases consistently hitting the screens. Among these, “Coolie ,” featuring the iconic Rajinikanth alongside Nagarjuna, directed by Lokesh Kanagaraj, is poised to make waves. Additionally, “Thug Life,” starring the illustrious Kamal Haasan, and “Raja Saab,” featuring Prabhas and Nidhi Agarwal, promise to captivate audiences. Superstar Vijay’s film, “Thalapathy 69,” and Yash’s “Toxic,” and prequel of the “Kantara” franchise, further exemplify the diverse and engaging narratives that South Indian cinema has to offer.
This impressive influx of films, with potentially over ten major releases each month and a steady stream of regular films exceeding forty, underscores the vibrancy of the industry. The current trend of acceptance, coupled with the immense fan following of Southern stars, suggests that this year is set to be a landmark one for South Indian cinema. The filmmakers have honed their craft in producing mass-entertaining films that resonate deeply with audiences, showcasing a strong connection to grassroots narratives. Their commitment to high production values and a willingness to experiment with diverse concepts, particularly evident in Malayalam cinema, has set the stage for a promising year ahead.
The year has already kicked off with the success of “Marco,” a small yet impactful Kannada film that has gained significant traction. Following this, “Game Changer” holds immense potential to further propel the industry forward. With such a robust slate of films on the horizon, we can anticipate a remarkable box office performance for South Indian cinema in the coming year, solidifying its place as a powerhouse in the Indian film landscape.”
While on the other hand, Vamsi has this to say: 2024 has been a big year for Telugu cinema and overall Indian cinema as films like ‘Hanu Man’, ‘Devara’, ‘Pushpa 2’, and ‘Kalki 2898 AD’ turned out to be huge hits. The film also turned out to be superhits across the globe. This all happened after ‘Baahubali’, after the first and second parts of those films, we have understood that our films are getting recognized across the world. After the success of both the films, our producers and directors have gained confidence that we can spend more. Coming to ‘Pushpa’, the first part’s collection was somewhere around Rs 50 cr in the Hindi markets and look at ‘Pushpa 2’, it went high like 10 to 20 times. If you look at KGF 1 also, it’s box office collections was 20 to 25 cr and the second part was huge. Starting from 2021, every year the collections have started to increase. This was evident with ‘Salaar’, Pushpa 2, KGF 2, Baahubali 2. Devara also made good collections, even though the reception was not good. For many blockbuster films, the perception won’t be the same, except for ‘Dangal and Baahubali. There is a huge section of mass audiences, they just want to come to the theatre, enjoy, they don’t want to talk or discuss about the film again. Malayalam films have grown phenomenally in Hyderabad as earlier it used to be one or two shows only, but if you look at the last year, there were huge number of Malayalam films like ‘Premalu’, ‘Manjummel Boys’, and this year it was Kishkindha Kaandam and several film. I would say 10 to 15 films have done very well in Hyderabad circuit as well. This is due to the fact that the Malayalam film industry has always been strong with the content. After COVID, all the audiences, I will speak on behalf of Telugu audiences, they were exposed to a huge number of Malayalam films. We started watching a number of other language movies. Now we are familiar with the actors, their names, earlier only dubbed films used to be popular in Telugu. For 20 years we were more inclined to Tamil films as Rajinikanth, Suriya etc are also biggest stars here as well. In Hindi also SRK, Aamir, had fans in Hyderabad. Even Hrithik’s ‘Dhoom 2’ was a huge hit in Telugu market as well. But when it comes to Malayalam, we were only drawn towards the dubbed films which was changed after COVID. The filmmakers are doing cross over of the stars so that the global audiences are connected. In case of ‘Animal’, the heroine is Rashmika who is from south. We as an audience as we watch ‘Animal’, its not like if it was not Rashmika we wouldnt watch, no, we will surely watch, but it will be more appealing right? In the same easy Sanjay sir was there in KGF, Ajay Devgn was there in RRR, so its not about their business, but its about the appealing part. It not about the market, its about familiarity. If we are talking about the increase of the market in the cross over, only when the lead actors come in that is where u will find a little bit of bump in that2025 will be bigger in terms of the number of films across the languages. From Tamil, the lokesh film is coming, there will be one more film with the same Rajinikanth sir that will be Jailer 2 if I am not wrong. Jailer 2 is not confirmed because Rajinikanth is busy shooting for Coolie. After Coolie, Rajini sir will start shooting for Jailel 2. They are hoping that Jailer 2 will release in 2025. There is huge anticipation for Thalapathy 69 because it is apparently the last film of Vijay. Lots and lots of anticipation in south india for thalapathy 69 in Hindi too as the movie is also backed by Toxic makers. Then it is Raja Saab and all eyes are on it as Prabhas is doing horror comedy for first time and he is one of the most bankable actors now. Also Kantara 2 is there.Small films are always surprises compared to big stars. When we talk about movies with big stars that’s not a surprise, but if the film tanks, that’s a surprise. Big films will be bigger hits and we will have anticipations and expectations on big films. So Manjummel Boys director is coming up with a new films, so the question is whether that comes under the criteria of a big film or a small film. It will be under the big film scale. We dont know whether a small film will come and surprise us.”
Malayalam Cinema: Mohanlal and Mammootty’s Timeless Allure
The legends of Malayalam cinema, Mohanlal and Mammootty, continue to prove that age is just a number. Mohanlal will charm audiences with the 4K re-release of ‘Udayananu Tharam’ in February 2025 and star in ‘Empuram,’ alongside Prithviraj Sukumaran. Mammootty takes on bold and innovative projects, including the long-awaited spin-off ‘Bilal’ from ‘Big B,’ as well as ‘Bazooka,’ ‘Empuraan – L2,’ and ‘Kathanar: The World Sorcerer’.
Etimes also contacted senior journalist Lata Srinivasan.”In terms of the big stories in 2025 from South cinema, there are two majorly films, one is from Yash’s ‘Toxic: A Fairytale for Grown-Ups’, and the other is from Rishabh Shetty, ‘Kantara: Chapter 1’, and these are highly anticipated, and given that they both pan-India stars and Yash and Rishabh have done very well for themselves across India, these are the two most highly anticipated. As for Tamil cinema, there’s no real pan-Indian film as such, though there are big films for particularly Tamil cinema, so you’ve got a Rajinikanth film, you’ve got a Suriya film and all that, but they are big for Tamil cinema, they’re not really pan-Indian. Now again in Tamil cinema we had such big blockbusters, such as ‘Amaran’, you had Rajinikanth’s film and so on. Obviously, one because it’s a Rajinikanth film and ‘Amaran’ was a fantastic biopic, beautifully taken and emotionally connected very well with the audience. So I think that was there. And ‘Maharaja’ again was a brilliant film which was superbly taken and which connected with the audience, the father, daughter, angle. So I think that there was novelty again with regard to ‘Amaran’ and Maharaja and that clicked with the audience big time.
With regard to Malayalam cinema, there’s ‘L2: Empuraan’, which is a Prithviraj Sukumaran, Mohanlal film as well as many smaller films. In Malayalam cinema, the stories are always different and smaller films have always done well so it’s very difficult to predict at this point what will be successful and what will not especially when it comes to Malayalam films because some of the smaller ones are big surprises. So it’s a big wait and watch.
In Telugu, the biggest pan-India film for 2025 will be ‘Game Changer’ which is Shankar and Ram Charan’s film. There are a couple of Pawan Kalyan films, ‘Hari Hara Veera Mallu: Part 1 – Sword vs Spirit’ and ‘They Call Him OG’ are releasing but again that’s very Telugu centric and with Pawan Kalyan while the films will definitely do average business it because they predict it will become superhits. Why Telugu cinema didn’t do well in 2024 other than ‘Pushpa 2: The Rule’ and ‘Kalki 2898 AD’ is probably because the stories were very run of the milk. They did not have any innovative stories. Same kind of action, story, and drama which has been seen a million times in Telugu cinema and otherwise. There was no novelty factor as far as Telugu cinema was concerned in 2024 except for ‘Pushpa 2: The Rule’ and ‘Kalki 2898 AD’ which turned out to be the biggest films in India as well.
‘Indian 2’ didn’t do well at all and ‘Kanguwa’ was a total disaster because while they tried to showcase novelty, ‘Kanguwa’ had a very bad story and was very badly taken and ‘Indian 2’ of course was a very very old story trying to rehash and you know the rest of it. So I think what has worked with regard to Malayalam and Tamil cinema are new stories which have been well written and well taken and good performances, which is why small films like ‘Manjummel Boys’ and ‘Bramayugam’ and all that did so well because the novelty factor was the big thing,” she said
Here’s a chart summarizing the major South Indian films scheduled for release in 2025:
| Industry | Actor(s) | Movie Title | Additional Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tamil | Rajinikanth | Coolie | High expectations after Jailer |
| Kamal Haasan | Thug Life, Indian 3 | Must succeed after Indian 2 | |
| Vijay | Thalapathy 69 | Expected to be a major release | |
| Suriya | Retro | Crucial release after Kanguva | |
| Vikram | Veera Dheera Sooran | Key film after Thangalaan | |
| Ajith | Vidyamayachi / Good and Ugly | Two releases planned for 2025 | |
| Dhanush | Idly Kadai | Several films lined up | |
| Telugu | Prabhas | Rajasaheb | Significant project following Salaar and Kalki |
| Pawan Kalyan | Multiple films | A packed slate of releases | |
| Kannada | Yash | Toxic | Marks his return after KGF Chapter 2 |
| Rishab Shetty | Kantara 2 | Prequel to the blockbuster Kantara | |
| Malayalam | Mammootty | TBA | Expected to deliver strong performances |
| Mohanlal | L2: Empuraan | Directed by Prithviraj, highly anticipated | |
| Dulquer Salmaan | TBA | Continuing his streak of experimental roles | |
| Nivin Pauly | TBA | Upcoming projects with high expectations |
Highlights:
- Kantara 2 will delve into the backstory of the original, building upon its massive success and cultural impact.
- Kannada cinema is poised for another strong year alongside Tamil, Telugu, and Malayalam industries.
Telugu Cinema: A Year of Grandeur
Telugu cinema, with its penchant for grandeur, promises some of the most awaited blockbusters of the year Prabhas is set to headline the eagerly awaited ‘Raja Saab,’ while Ram Charan prepares to dazzle audiences with his upcoming release, ‘Game Changer.’ Vishnu Manchu’s multi-starrer ‘Kannappa,’ slated for an April release, boasts a stellar ensemble cast featuring Prabhas, Kajal Aggarwal, Akshay Kumar, Madhoo, and Mohanlal.Chiranjeevi leads the cast of ‘Vishwambhara,’ sharing the screen with Trisha, Kunal Kapoor, Meenakshi Chaudhary, and Ashika Ranganath in pivotal roles. Meanwhile, ‘Hari Hara Veera Mallu,’ an ambitious Telugu-language historical action-adventure film, directed by Krish Jagarlamudi, promises to be a visual spectacle. Set in the 17th-century Mughal Empire, the movie stars Pawan Kalyan as the legendary outlaw Veera Mallu, alongside Bobby Deol, Nidhhi Agerwal, Nargis Fakhri, and Nora Fatehi.With such a diverse lineup of films and celebrated stars, South Indian cinema in 2025 is set to leave an indelible mark on the entertainment landscape, captivating audiences across the globe.
The year 2025 is set to be monumental for South Indian cinema, with several high-profile releases lined up across all major industries. According to trade analyst Ramesh Bala, South 2025 is poised to be a landmark year, with a slew of big movies featuring major stars set for release. From Superstar Rajinikanth’s ‘Coolie’ to Kamal Haasan’s ‘Thug Life,’ Ajith’s double ventures, Vijay’s ‘Thalapathy 69,’ Suriya’s ‘Retro,’ and Vikram’s ‘Veera Dheera Sooran,’ Tamil cinema has a packed schedule. Telugu cinema also has significant releases, including Prabhas’ ‘Rajasaheb’ and multiple projects from Pawan Kalyan. Yash’s Kannada film ‘Toxic’ marks his return after ‘KGF Chapter 2,’ and Malayalam cinema is bringing big-budget ventures like Mammootty’s and Mohanlal’s ‘Lucifer Emberon.’ Even tier-two stars like Dhanush have multiple films lined up. Overall, 2025 is shaping up to be a bountiful year for the box office, with an impressive number of releases across the industries.
There’s a lot riding on these films, with industry estimates suggesting nearly ₹10,000 crores invested in these projects. Many of these are big-budget ventures with the potential to earn ₹500-800 crores individually. However, the pressure is immense. If a film doesn’t perform, it can significantly impact the market value of its lead actors. For instance, Rajinikanth’s ‘Coolie’ must match or surpass the success of ‘Jailer,’ while Kamal Haasan’s ‘Thug Life’ needs to make up for the underperformance of ‘Indian 2.’ Stars like Suriya with ‘Kanguva,’ Vikram with ‘Thangalaan,’ and Yash with ‘Toxic’ cannot afford flops, as consecutive failures could be detrimental to their careers. While Prabhas has recovered somewhat with films like ‘Salaar’ and ‘Kalki,’ others are under scrutiny to deliver hits.
Tamil cinema, despite its strong lineup, still hasn’t breached the ₹1,000 crore mark for a single film, unlike Telugu and Kannada, which have produced pan-India blockbusters like ‘Pushpa,’ ‘Baahubali,’ and ‘KGF.’ The highest-grossing Tamil film remains ‘2.0,’ which earned ₹800 crores. Post-COVID, Tamil movies haven’t seen consistent nationwide success, making 2025 a crucial year. Films like ‘Coolie’ or ‘Thug Life’ could potentially bridge this gap.
South Indian films continue to dominate the Hindi-speaking markets, with big-star, action-packed movies like ‘Pushpa’ and ‘KGF’ leaving a lasting impact. This trend shows no signs of slowing down, as Bollywood has yet to replicate this formula successfully. South films will likely continue to capture a significant share of the Hindi box office, as long as they deliver high-quality, larger-than-life spectacles.
