Bollywood’s 2025 shift back to hypermasculine cinema
After a brief but notable shift in 2024, when women-led films brought international recognition and reshaped perceptions of Indian cinema, the past year saw a strong resurgence of male-centred, action-driven storytelling. Violent thrillers and hypermasculine heroes once again dominated box-office rankings and public conversation. By the final weeks of 2025, social media discussion was largely focused on one standout title: Dhurandhar, an espionage thriller set against the backdrop of India-Pakistan tensions. Filled with graphic violence and themes of power and vengeance, the film emerged as the year’s defining commercial success, reinforcing the popularity of aggressive, male-led narratives. This trend stood in sharp contrast to the previous year, when films such as All We Imagine As Light, Girls Will Be Girls and Laapataa Ladies drew global praise and attention to women filmmakers. According to film critic Mayank Shekhar, 2024 demonstrated that […]