Director Laxman Utekar’s historical action drama Chhaava is rewriting box office records, delivering Bollywood its first major blockbuster in months. The film, starring Vicky Kaushal and Rashmika Mandanna, has now emerged as the highest-grossing Hindi movie of 2025, propelling its worldwide earnings close to Rs 450 crore.

On its 11th day in theatres, Chhaava added Rs 18.22 crore to its domestic total, bringing its India box office earnings to Rs 344.97 crore, according to early estimates by industry tracker Sacnilk. Despite a 54.45% drop from its Sunday collection of Rs 40 crore, the film saw an impressive second weekend, raking in Rs 84 crore.

Unstoppable box office performance

Made on a reported budget of Rs 130 crore, Chhaava has significantly outpaced other major releases. Its worldwide gross stands at Rs 444.5 crore, overshadowing Sankranthiki Vasthunam, which holds the second position among 2025’s highest-grossing Indian films with Rs 251.95 crore.

The film saw a 23.64% overall occupancy in the Hindi market on Monday. Morning shows began at 13.37% occupancy, gradually rising to 21.51% in the afternoon, 25.78% in the evening, and peaking at 33.88% during night screenings.

Chhaava marks Rashmika Mandanna’s fourth consecutive theatrical blockbuster after Varisu (2023), Animal (2023), and Pushpa 2: The Rule (2024). For Vicky Kaushal, this success comes as a major career boost after a period of mixed performances at the box office.

Bollywood has struggled with consistent box office hits in recent months, and Chhaava has provided a much-needed revival. The film’s strong word-of-mouth and critical appreciation have contributed to its sustained performance, despite competition from new releases.

Directed by Laxman Utekar, Chhaava is based on the Marathi novel by Shivaji Sawant and follows the life of Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj. The film also stars Akshaye Khanna, Vineet Kumar Singh, Ashutosh Rana, Divya Dutta, and Santosh Juvekar. Released on February 14, the film has received widespread praise, though some critics found its music underwhelming.

In her review, SCREEN critic Shubhra Gupta rated the film 2.5 out of 5 stars, noting that its intense climax mirrored the brutality seen in The Passion of Christ. With Chhaava showing no signs of slowing down, industry experts predict it could cross Rs 500 crore worldwide in the coming days, cementing its place as one of Bollywood’s biggest historical blockbusters.