After a subdued March, the Indian box office bounced back strongly in April 2025, clocking gross domestic collections of Rs 825 crore. This marks a significant rebound and contributes to a year-to-date total of Rs 3,691 crore, a 19% increase over the same period in 2024, Ormax Media reported.
Leading the charge was Good Bad Ugly, the Ajith Kumar-starrer, which emerged as the highest-grossing film of the month with collections exceeding Rs 180 crore. Close on its heels was Malayalam superstar Mohanlal’s Thudarum, which earned nearly Rs 150 crore across its Malayalam and Telugu versions. Its Tamil version, released in May, will be reflected in next month’s figures.
Malayalam cinema had a particularly strong showing, grossing over Rs 225 crore in April, the second-highest monthly haul ever for the language, only behind February 2024. Four Malayalam films featured in the Top 10 list this month: Thudarum, Alappuzha Gymkhana, Maranamass, and Bazooka, underscoring the growing national appeal of Malayalam content.
Hindi and Telugu films continue to dominate the year’s cumulative top-grossers list, with three films each. However, April saw Tamil and Malayalam catch up, adding two titles each to the 2025 Top 10 list. Among Hindi films, Kesari Chapter 2 (starring Akshay Kumar) and Jaat (led by Sunny Deol) also crossed the Rs 100 crore mark in April.
Interestingly, Hollywood is yet to make a mark in the top 10 films of the year, though that could change soon with the release of Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning in May. Industry analysts point to a few key factors behind April’s resurgence, a diverse slate of releases across languages, increased footfalls during festive weekends, and growing audience confidence in theatrical experiences post-pandemic. The strong showing by Malayalam cinema, in particular, reflects a broader shift in consumption patterns, with audiences across India increasingly embracing well-crafted regional stories.