Big-budget spectacles like Chhaava, Kantara: A Legend-Chapter 1, Saiyaara and, more recently, Dhurandhar may be mopping up hundreds of crores at the global box office. Yet, amid the noisy Goliaths dominating Indian screens, small-budget gems that landed little expectation, have miraculously wormed their way into the hearts of audiences. They are films focused on telling funny ‘family stories’ and narratives foregrounding bonding, love, and kindness. There’s even a vigilante superwoman thrown into this merry mix.
These are the sleeper hits of 2025 in Indian cinema that have quietly and effectively stormed the box office. No one expected them to do so, least of all the filmmakers themselves. But what they witnessed were returns that surpassed their wildest dreams. Take the case of Kannada horror comedy, Su From Soa quirky, experimental film made on a modest budget of over Rs 4.5 crore. Produced by Raj B. Shetty and packed with seasoned theatre artistes, including director JP Thuminad, the film opened to almost no buzz. But strong word-of-mouth piqued people’s interest and the film became a sensation after its release in July this year.
In a conversation with The Federaldirector-writer-actor Thuminad said, “When we made Su From So, we had no idea at all that it would become such a big hit. But, after two weeks, it was clear the film had turned into a super grosser.” On what drew people to the film about a young man Ashoka (played by Thuminad), who is suspected of being possessed by a ghost of a woman named Sulochana from Someshwar, he said that the genre of comedy is always a winner.
Thuminad developed the idea of the story for the film from a real incident in his own village situated along the border between Karnataka and Kerala. The protagonist Ashoka, who starts off pretending to be possessed by a ghost to get out of a sticky situation, soon finds himself in deep waters. Thuminad worked on the script for four long years from 2019 to perfect it. That helped, he pointed out, besides the fact that it is a ‘decent movie’. He added: “It is a film that a family can see with their children. It is a neat movie; there is no violence, no double-meaning dialogues. I think audiences were happy to enjoy a pure family entertainer after such a long time.”
How does he explain the success of films like Dhurandhar? In his view, people just want to be entertained at the end of the day. “2025 has been a great year for Indian cinema because we had big-budget and small movies simultaneously doing well together. It shows that theatres are back, and people have realised that they can get entertainment only from watching films in theatres,” pointed out Thuminad, who is in a happy space after his debut film whizzed past the Rs 100 crore mark in India and collected another Rs 15 to Rs 20 crore from its global releases.
Also read: Mrs Deshpande review: Madhuri Dixit turns sinister in Nagesh Kukunoor’s taut whodunit
Thuminad advises filmmakers not to approach producers with a one-line script, if they want their films to succeed. “Prepare the complete script, don’t be in a hurry. It took me four years to write Su From So and then I went to Raj Shetty with a full-fledged script,” he shared. It was Raj Shetty who encouraged him to write, act and direct the film after seeing his theatre productions at Rangabhoomi.
Like Su from So, a small Tamil film like Tourist Family, about the travails of a Sri Lankan migrant family in Chennai; Gujarati film Laalo: Krishna Sada Sahaayate, a devotional drama; Lokah Chapter 1the Dulquer Salman production, and others, have all gone on to become major box-office contenders alongside the mega, big-budget giants. What’s more, these sleeper hits have all largely surfaced from the fold of regional cinema. And, made on modest budgets, their returns are turning out to be more than ten-fold for the makers, as in the case of Su from So.
Tourist Family
A small film that shook up the Tamil film industry was Abishan Jeevinth’s Tourist Family. It portrays the struggles of a Sri Lankan Tamil family, who move to India in search of a better future, following the Sri Lankan economic crisis. This sensitive depiction of the immigrant experience with a humorous twist, and community bonding resonated deeply with audiences. While mega‑budget extravaganzas such as Coolie and Thug Life grabbed headlines for their record‑breaking grosses, this modest Tamil production trumped them all where it matters most: profitability.
Tourist Family, made on a modest Rs 7 crore budget, started slow. But its emotional and relatable storyline connected deeply with families, leading to a steady and remarkable run that ended with a worldwide collection of over Rs 90 crore. This slice‑of‑life comedy drama, featuring M Sasikumar and Simran, netted its makers a 1,200 percent return on investment, according to Sacnilk, a digital platform that provides detailed box-office collections. While the lavish historical epic Chaavawhich posted a colossal gross amount of Rs 808 crore globally, managed only an eight-fold return due to its grand production cost of Rs 90 crore.
Lokah Chapter 1: Chandra
For this Malayalam superhero film, collections went dizzyingly high, soaring upwards to touch a staggering Rs 300 crore and more. The unexpected success was stupefying even for its producer Dulquer Salman, who described it as it all just “blew up” around them. They never expected this modest release to turn out to be such a monster hit.
Lokah shattered expectations at the box office, grossing over Rs 300 crore worldwide and securing its place among the biggest Malayalam films ever made. Its success was driven by sheer word-of-mouth publicity, a distinctive blend of folklore and a superhero tale, and wide accessibility through dubbed versions and subtitles.
The film, which is part of a five-part cinematic universe, centres around a homegrown woman superhero crafted from local myths, who concentrates on fighting for good despite her dark origins. That drew the audiences who wanted to see the visual effects on the big screen.
Laalo: Krishna Sada Sahaayate
In 2025, the Gujarati film industry delivered a hit that no one saw coming. That was Laalo: Krishna Sada Sahaayatea devotional drama crafted on a shoestring budget of just Rs 50 lakh. The film struggled in its initial weeks, recording poor box-office numbers in its opening week. Yet, the film’s heartfelt, family-friendly message began to resonate deeply with audiences. Fuelled by strong word-of-mouth publicity, its fortunes turned. Against all odds, Hang up surged past every expectation to become the first Gujarati movie to cross the Rs 100 crore mark, a miraculous triumph that rewrote the industry’s history, and cemented its place as a landmark success story in regional cinema.
Mahavatar Narasimha
The Hindi animation film Mahavatar Narasimha was made on a relatively bigger budget of Rs 40 crore. But what makes this mythological movie a sleeper hit is the fact that it went on to notch up over Rs 300 crore. It started with a modest opening and expectations were low since it was a mythological animation movie.
However, it connected deeply with families and children, seeing historic jumps in collections week after week. The momentum never stopped, and it went on to become an all-time blockbuster, earning a colossal Rs 325.74 crore and shattering all records for an Indian animated film. What made this film work? One reviewer said the soulful storytelling of Lord Vishnu’s devotee Prahlad from the ancient epics related to audiences across generations.
Also read: Four More Shots Please! Season 4 review: A final toast, a rushed goodbye
The film hits the bull’s eye by echoing the right emotions as the story progresses. However, some film critics felt the strong message in the film obviously hit home: how a power-hungry, destructive king is not just harmful to society but is also the reason for destroying his own family. And, it sends the message that negativity can consume your own loved ones before your adversaries.
This animation film is presented by none other than Hombale Productions (of KGF, Kantara fame) and produced by Kleem Productions. Interestingly, they did not spend time marketing the film. They released the film and waited for what was to follow. Besides the money it made, its success brought children and senior citizens back to theatres.
Thudarum
Undeniably, Tharun Moorthy’s Thudarum had star power in Malayalam superstar Mohanlal. But the film went on to emerge as a historic blockbuster, ranking among the highest-grossing Malayalam films of all time. With worldwide earnings exceeding Rs 230 crore, the film drew exceptional footfalls across India, sustaining a strong run and breaking multiple box-office records.
The film saw an unprecedented response and ran for over 50 days in theatres, fuelled by positive reviews. Mohanlal plays Shanmugham (Benz), a former stuntman living peacefully as a taxi driver, whose world is shattered when his beloved Ambassador car is seized by corrupt police on false charges. This incident sets him on a path to fight for his dignity and family. Rings a bell? But the tale of the underdog pitted against state force always works.
Comments are closed.