YEARENDER 2025: 5 must-watch Hindi films of 2025 before the year ends

Let’s be honest. Regional industries, especially the South, are not just pulling bigger box office numbers- they’re also pushing the boundaries of storytelling. While big Hindi films like ‘Saiyaara’, ‘Chhaava’ and ‘Dhurandhar’ are still leaning heavily on romance and patriotism (and yes, audiences are loving them), southern cinema is exploring superhero narratives, ambitious sports dramas and same-sex relationships set in rural India. That said, all is not bleak for Hindi cinema. 2025 has quietly delivered some remarkable films that break away from the usual ‘Bollywood’ mould. Titles like ‘Humans in the Loop’, ‘The Great Shamsuddin Family’, ‘Sister Midnight’ and ‘Homebound’ prove that Hindi films are also finding new voices and fresh stories. Here are our top 5 Hindi films you must watch before stepping into 2026.

The Great Shamsuddin Family

15 years after ‘Peepli Live’, director Anusha Rizvi returns with what is easily one of the finest films of 2025. ‘The Great Shamsuddin Family’ is a witty, warm family drama spanning two generations of a Muslim household, with a special focus on its women. The film maintains a light, frothy tone but quietly addresses pressing realities of modern India, inter-faith relationships, identity and the everyday challenges faced by Muslim women. Farida Jalal, as the matriarch of a liberal Muslim family in Delhi (a rarity on screen), is a delight to watch. At just 97 minutes, this made-for-TV film feels like a bowl of warm soup on a winter evening, comforting, yet gently unsettling. If you’re picking one OTT film to watch this New Year’s Eve, make this one. The women of ‘The Great Shamsuddin Family’ will stay with you long after the credits roll.

Humans in the Loop

2025 has been a strong year for debut filmmakers and Aranya Sahay’s ‘Humans in the Loop’ surely stands out. This thoughtful film explores the uneasy relationship between humans and Artificial Intelligence and how human prejudice quietly makes its way into AI systems. Sonal Madhushankar is unforgettable as Nehma, a tribal woman caught in this complex web. The film’s mother-daughter thread, woven beautifully into nature, feels poetic.

Superboys of Malegaon

Reema Kagti’s ‘Superboys of Malegaon’ is a big-hearted film that celebrates the madness of moviemaking far away from the glare of studios and star culture. Set in the small town of Malegaon, the film follows a group of young men who pour their lives into making low-budget superhero films, driven purely by passion and friendship. Adarsh Gourav, Vineet Kumar Singh and Shashank Arora form a wonderfully lived-in ensemble, capturing ambition, frustration and camaraderie with honesty. Kagti keeps the tone light yet grounded, finding humour in everyday struggles without romanticising them. ‘Superboys of Malegaon’ is a love letter to cinema itself. This one is a must-watch.

Homebound

Neeraj Ghaywan’s ‘Homebound’ is essential viewing not just because it addresses systemic discrimination and the everyday invisibility of marginalised communities, but because it captures a defining moment in recent history: the first COVID-19 lockdown and India’s migrant exodus. Inspired by the ‘New York Times’ report by Basharat Peer, the film reminds us of stories we’ve already begun to forget in our Instagram-driven lives. It exposes deep-rooted bias through the lens of joblessness, migration and survival, while also showing how the burden of empathy and adjustment almost always falls on those who suffer the most. Starring Ishaan Khatter, Vishal Jethwa and Janhvi Kapoor, ‘Homebound’ has been shortlisted in the ‘Best International Feature Film’ category for the Oscars 2026. Karan Johar may have lamented the poor theatrical turnout, but here’s hoping you don’t miss this quietly devastating film.

Jugnuma: The Fable

Set in 1989, ‘Jugnuma: The Fable’ centres on Dev (Manoj Bajpayee) and his family, residents of an old colonial mansion placed on a Himalayan cliff. The film follows an unhurried pace, gently drifting between the real and the surreal and is visually stunning throughout. What makes ‘Jugnuma’ compelling is how it layers its story, quietly engaging with ideas of rigid tradition, environmental exploitation and the mysticism of the mountains. The atmosphere is immersive and haunting rather than loud or dramatic. Bajpayee is in fine form and Deepak Dobriyal matches him beat for beat.

2025 Bestsellers

• Lokah Chapter 1: Chandra (Malayalam)

• Sabar Bonda (Marathi)

• Tourist Family (Tamil)

• Bison Kaalamaadan (Tamil)

• Kantara: Chapter 1 (Kannada)

• Ullozhukku (Malayalam)