With the first half of 2025 coming to an end, box office reports are out. Details on what worked, what didn’t work, hots and misses of the year are all out. Chhaava and L2: Empuraan might have been big budget releases, drawing crowds and attention, and have also performed well at the box office, but it’s a South Indian film that earned the biggest profit this year. The Tamil movie was made on a budget of only Rs 7 crore, but grossed more than Rs 90 worldwide. Which film is it?
Tourist Family becomes India’s most profitable film of 2025
The Tamil Film Tourist Family has been declared the most profitable Indian film of 2025 so far. Directed by Abishan Jeevinth, the film was made on a modest budget. The slice-of-life comedy has grossed over Rs 90 crore globally, thus earning approximately 1200% on its initial budget.
Featuring M. Sasikumar, Simran, Mithun Jai Sankar, and Kamalesh Jagan, Tourist Family released on April 29. Even though there were no big names and the film lacked star power, it was widely loved by audiences and critics alike. It collected Rs 23 crore in its opening week, followed by an impressive Rs 29 crore in its second week, largely driven by word-of-mouth. At the end of its five-week theatrical run, the film had earned Rs 62 crore domestically and Rs 28 crore internationally.
Chhaava is the highest-grossing Indian film this year with worldwide earnings of Rs 808 crore. With a production budget of Rs 90 crore, the film has earned a profit margin of 800%, which is still behind Tourist Family’s figures.
How did Hindi releases perform?
Other major releases such as Housefull 5 and Salman Khan’s Sikandar struggled to become profitable for the makers because of their high budgets, despite earning decent box office numbers. Aamir Khan’s Sitaare Zameen Par has shown healthy returns, at 300% profitability with Rs 260 crore earnings, made on a Rs 65 crore budget.
As per the reports, regional cinema is at the forefront when it comes to profitability. Malayalam film Thudarum earned a 720% profit margin, while the Tamil fantasy-action film Dragon and Telugu box office blockbuster Sankranthiki Vasthunam each earned around 300% profits.