Year Ender 2024: Aavesham To Laapataa Ladies, Movies That Took Us By Surprise

While some movies received positive reviews but struggled at the box office, others exceeded all expectations.

Several Indian films surprised audiences and critics with their unexpected success in 2024. While some movies received positive reviews but struggled at the box office, others exceeded all expectations. ‘Hanu-Man’ became a big hit in Tollywood, and ‘Munjya’ surprised everyone with its box office performance. ‘Aavesham’ set new records in Malayalam cinema, while ‘Amaran’ and ‘Maharaja’ impressed with strong performances. Here are some of the film from this year that stood out.

Hanu-Man

Teja Sajja stars in the lead role, directed by Prasanth Verma. Hanu-Man explores the journey of Hanumanthu, a character who gains the powers of Lord Hanuman. It has quickly become one of the highest-grossing Tollywood films at the Indian box office.

IMDb Rating: 7.7
Where to Watch: Jio Cinema

Munjya

Munjya features Sharvari, Abhay Verma, and Mona Singh, and is directed by Aditya Sarpotdar. The film surprised everyone with its unexpected box office success, crossing the Rs 100-crore mark despite having no major star power. It quickly became the first super-duper hit of the year.

IMDb Rating: 6.4
Where to Watch: Disney Hotstar

Aavesham

Fahadh Faasil’s performance in Aavesham earned rave reviews, and the film emerged as one of the highest-grossing Malayalam films of the year. It is also among the top-grossing Malayalam films of all time. Fahadh’s portrayal of gangster Ranga was particularly praised for its intensity and authenticity.

IMDb Rating: 7.8
Where to Watch: Prime Video

Amaran

Starring Sivakarthikeyan and Sai Pallavi, Amaran had a box office clash with Lucky Baskhar, but the competition didn’t hurt its theatrical run. The film went on to become the second-highest-grossing Tamil film of the year, just behind Thalapathy Vijay's The GOAT.

IMDb Rating: 8.3
Where to Watch: Netflix

Maharaja

Directed by Nithilan Saminathan, Maharaja features Vijay Sethupathi in the lead role. Produced on a modest Rs 20 crore budget, the film grossed over Rs 182.50 crore worldwide, surpassing the earnings of Baahubali 2 in certain markets. The film was lauded for its compelling narrative and outstanding performances, particularly by Vijay Sethupathi and Anurag Kashyap.

IMDb Rating: 8.5
Where to Watch: Netflix

Maidaan

Starring Ajay Devgn as Syed Abdul Rahim, a late football coach, Maidaan tells the story of India's national football team. Released on April 11, 2024, during Eid, it had high expectations but, despite positive reviews, struggled at the box office, making it one of the year’s most surprising flops.

IMDb Rating: 8
Where to Watch: Prime Video

Stree 2

Stree 2 shocked everyone in 2024 with its massive box office success, becoming the second-highest-grossing Hindi film of the year. Its success can be attributed to positive word-of-mouth, stellar performances, effective humor, and scares. The film's triumph underscored the power of horror-comedy and the importance of audience recommendations.

IMDb Rating: 7
Where to Watch: Prime Video

Kill

Despite a modest budget, Kill performed impressively at the box office, grossing Rs 47.1 crore worldwide. The suspenseful, thrilling storyline contributed to making it one of the surprise hits of the year.

IMDb Rating: 7.5
Where to Watch: Disney Hotstar

Merry Christmas

Directed by Sriram Raghavan, Merry Christmas gained significant attention for its unexpected twists and compelling narrative. The film stars Katrina Kaif and Vijay Sethupathi. Its intriguing storyline and plot twists made it a standout in the thriller genre.

IMDb Rating: 6.9
Where to Watch: Netflix

Laapataa Ladies

Kiran Rao’s comedy film Laapataa Ladies became a sleeper hit in 2024, thanks to its unique blend of humor and drama. Despite a small budget, it grossed over Rs 25 crore worldwide. The film premiered at the prestigious Toronto International Film Festival, where it received a standing ovation. It was later selected by the Film Federation of India as the country’s submission for the Best International Feature Film category at the 97th Academy Awards.

IMDb Rating: 8.4
Where to Watch: Netflix