Bollywood

Bollywood’s Big Answer to South: Tables Turning?

Fans are often quick to dismiss Bollywood films, claiming they’re either remakes or sequels. But the truth is, when Bollywood does offer something different, not many fans are willing to watch non-mainstream films, especially in theatres. Smaller titles often get overshadowed by the big-budget blockbusters.

Recently, fans have taken to social media to back some of the best Bollywood films released in 2025, arguing that these films are even better than many recent Malayalam releases.

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The list includes Superboys of Malegaon (directed by Reema Kagti), Stolen (directed by Karan Tejpal), The Mehta Boys (directed by Boman Irani), and Kesari Chapter 2 (directed by Karan Singh Tyagi).

Users claim that while the Malayalam film industry has indeed been delivering excellent cinema, Bollywood isn’t far behind. These films are among the most well-crafted of the year in terms of storytelling and can easily rival Southern cinema.

However, fans also expressed concern that such titles rarely break into the mainstream because they are overshadowed by bigger names and star-driven projects.

While these films may not yet match the stature of Malayalam hits like Ponman, Rekhachithram, Thudarum, or Padakkalam, they certainly have the potential to stand alongside them.

Fans want to prove that Bollywood is no less capable of delivering powerful storytelling compared to Southern industries. Some of these recent titles are proof of that.

Still, they must acknowledge that in the last six months, Bollywood has produced only a handful of standout films, whereas Southern industries have been consistently delivering hits.

Bollywood is still in the race, but if it wants to stay competitive, it needs to buckle up and prepare for a long run ahead.

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Manaswini K

Manaswini is a senior writer with extensive experience covering Telugu cinema, as well as the broader Indian film landscape, including Bollywood, Tamil, and other regional industries. With a strong focus on NRI (Non-R…

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