As 2025 hits its mid-point, IMDb has ranked the most popular Indian movies of the year so far, as well as the most anticipated across the next six months. The second half of 2025 will see two films from Aditya Chopra’s YRF Spy Universe release in cinemas, but neither of them has turned out to be the most anticipated of the year, as per the portal.
Ayan Mukerji’s War 2, starring Hrithik Roshan, Jr NTR, and Kiara Advani, wrapped filming in Mumbai earlier this week. The sequel to Siddharth Anand’s 2019 blockbuster War is slated to release in cinemas on the occasion of Independence Day on August 14. Backed by Yash Raj Films, it’s been in anticipation ever since it was teased at in the post-credit scene of the previous YRF Spy Universe instalment, Manish Sharma’s Tiger 3 at the end of 2023.
It marks Hrithik’s return as top spy Kabir after five years, his formidable face-off with Telugu superstar Jr NTR, Kiara’s first film since she announced pregnancy earlier this year, as well as Ayan’s first film outside Karan Johar’s Dharma Productions and his maiden foray into the espionage genre. Additionally, Shah Rukh Khan’s cameo as Pathaan alongside Hrithik is also hinted at.
But War 2 has managed to be only the most anticipated Hindi film of the year, as per IMDb, and not the most awaited Indian film, where it landed on no. 2. Yet, it’s far ahead of the other YRF Spy Universe film this year. Shiv Rawail’s Alpha, marking Alia Bhatt and Sharvari’s debut in the universe, is slated to release this Christmas on December 25. But it just about made it to the IMDb list, at number 10.
A South film made it to the top of IMDb’s most anticipated films of 2025. No, it’s not Maruthi’s Telugu romantic horror comedy The Raja Saab, which is slated to release on December 5. The Prabhas, Malavika Mohanan, and Sanjay Dutt-starrer has only made it to #3 in the list, right below War 2.
The most anticipated film of 2025, as per IMDb, is Lokesh Kanagaraj’s action thriller Coolie. The Rajinikanth, Nagarjuna, Sathyaraj, and Shruti Haasan-starrer is slated to clash in cinemas with the #2 on the list, War 2, on August 14. “The reunion of legends Rajinkanth and Sathyaraj after 38 years has created magic on screen, and we hope what we’ve created will resonate with audiences and match their expectations,” said Kanagaraj in a statement. The film will also boast of a cameo by Aamir Khan, who’ll then star as a lead in the filmmaker’s next in 2027.
Four films releasing in July made it to the top 10 most anticipated Indian films list by IMDb — Santosh Singh’s romantic comedy Aankhon Ki Gustaakhiyan, starring Vikrant Massey and Shanaya Kapoor, at #4; Mohit Suri’s romantic drama Saiyaara, starring Ahaan Panday and Aneet Padda, at #5; Vijay Kumar Arora’s action comedy Son of Sardaar 2, starring Ajay Devgn and Mrunal Thakur, at #7; and Ashwin Kumar’s mythological action epic Mahavatar Narsimha at #9 (release date: July 25). The remaining two entrants in the list include Ahmed Khan’s action thriller Baaghi 4, starring Tiger Shroff, at #6 (release date: September 5) and Sathyan Anthikad’s Malayalam family drama Hridayapoorvam, starring Mohanlal and Malavika, at #8 (release date: August 28).
Story continues below this ad
Meanwhile, as per IMDb, the most popular Indian films of the year so far are (in the same order) — Laxman Utekar and Vicky Kaushal’s historical action movie Chhaava, Ashwath Marimuthu and Pradeep Ranganathan’s Tamil coming-of-age dramedy Dragon, Shahid Kapoor-starrer Deva, Rajkumar Gupta and Ajay Devgn’s thriller Raid 2, Karthik Subbaraj and Suriya’s Tamil action film Retro, Shivam Nair and John Abraham’s thriller The Diplomat, Prithviraj Sukumaran and Mohanlal’s Malayalam epic L2: Empuraan, RS Prasanna and Aamir Khan’s coming-of-age sports comedy Sitaare Zameen Par, Karan Singh Tyagi and Akshay Kumar’s period courtroom drama Kesari 2: The Untold Story of Jallianwala Bagh, and Magizh Thirumeni and Ajith’s Tamil action thriller Vidaamuyarchi.
