Upcoming Bollywood Films of 2025 – Which Trailers Lied to Us?

Let’s be honest: Bollywood trailers are like the most charming liars you’ll ever meet. They show up, dazzle you for two and a half minutes, and promise the moon. You walk into the theater full of hope, and walk out wondering if you even watched the same movie.

2025 has been no different. With flashy teasers, dramatic voiceovers, and carefully cut slow-motion shots, some trailers had us hyped. But not all of them delivered.

So let’s unpack it. Which upcoming Bollywood films of 2025 sold us dreams in their trailers, and which ones might still be worth the hype?

1. Raavan: The Rise – Trailer: Grit. Reality: Glitter.

Let’s start with Raavan: The Rise, starring Ranveer Singh as a modern-day anti-hero. The trailer promised us a dark psychological thriller, gritty street shots, haunting voiceovers, and the tagline: “Villains aren’t born. They’re made.”

But early audience reviews from private screenings hint otherwise. Instead of a twisted origin story, what we’re getting (apparently) is a confused mash of action sequences, romantic subplots, and songs that don’t match the tone. Think more Student of the Year with a beard than Joker.

Trailer Lie: Promised raw psychological depth.
Reality: A style-over-substance drama with a heavy dose of glam.

2. Aarzoo – Trailer: Love. Reality: Length.

This one’s a romantic drama starring Vicky Kaushal and Triptii Dimri. The trailer gave off a poetic, heartbreak-meets-healing vibe. A soft background score, rain-drenched shots, voiceovers about lost love, you get the picture.

But here’s the problem: the trailer focused on 20% of the plot and left out the other 80%, which is a painfully slow-paced second half that audiences are already dreading.

Aarzoo isn’t bad, it’s just a classic example of a trailer cherry-picking the best moments while hiding the real pacing problem.

Trailer Lie: It looked like a tight, emotional love story.
Reality: A beautiful but bloated narrative that drags after an interval.

3. Mumbai 2075 – Trailer: Dystopian. Reality: Disappointing.

Bollywood tried to go sci-fi again, this time with Mumbai 2075 starring Tiger Shroff and Radhika Apte. The trailer teased a futuristic Mumbai, AI-driven politics, flying vehicles, and a rebel uprising. It had strong Blade Runner vibes, at least visually.

But word is, most of the “future tech” was crammed into the trailer and barely shows up in the actual movie. The rest? Standard action tropes, romantic diversions, and way too much slow-mo.

Trailer Lie: Gave us a gritty, high-concept dystopia.
Reality: Recycled action in a futuristic costume.

4. Dastaan-e-Mira – Trailer: Historical. Reality: Heartfelt (And Honest)

Time for some balance.

Dastaan-e-Mira didn’t lie. The trailer, led by Alia Bhatt in a powerful historical role, promised drama, conflict, and grace, and early previews confirm that the film delivers exactly that. Directed by Meghna Gulzar, the film dives into the life of a forgotten Mughal-era poetess.

Instead of giving us fake grandeur, the trailer focused on performances and story, and thankfully, the movie follows through.

Trailer Truth: Understated and sincere.
Reality: A slow-burn masterpiece with layered storytelling.

5. Criminal Diaries – Trailer: Edge of Your Seat. Reality: Yawn.

Another misfire. Criminal Diaries, a crime thriller featuring Rajkummar Rao and Sanya Malhotra, had a killer trailer. Tight cuts, suspense, and eerie silences that hinted at a twist-filled narrative.

But apparently, the trailer gave away all the best parts. Viewers already feel the full movie might not have anything new to say, and some suspect the trailer was edited to look smarter than the plot actually is.

Trailer Lie: Suggested a layered, cerebral thriller.
Reality: Predictable plot dressed up in flashy editing.

6. Khoobsurat 2.0 – Trailer: Quirky Fun. Reality: Possibly Better?

Here’s a surprise. The sequel to Sonam Kapoor’s 2014 rom-com seemed like a cash grab based on the trailer. Same royal mansion setting, same clumsy girl-meets-prince formula. We weren’t expecting much.

But early reactions are saying it might actually work. Better script, tighter comedy, and a refreshing new pairing (Janhvi Kapoor and Siddhant Chaturvedi). The trailer didn’t oversell; if anything, it undersold.

Trailer Trick: It looked like a copy-paste sequel.
Reality: Possibly smarter and funnier than expected.

Why Do Bollywood Trailers Keep Lying?

A few reasons:

Marketing pressure: Studios want that opening weekend box office bump. A killer trailer can guarantee that, even if the film doesn’t hold up.
Misleading tone: Trailers often pick a “vibe” that sells, even if the movie’s actual tone is completely different.
Over-polishing: Editors cut trailers like music videos now. Fast, flashy, dramatic. But the movie’s rhythm might be entirely different.
Spoilers disguised as teasers: Some trailers show so many scenes that they leave nothing to discover.

How to Spot a Lying Trailer

Want to avoid disappointment? Watch smarter.

Here’s what to watch for in a trailer:

Is it showing full scenes or just random visual montages? If it’s all sizzle, no context, be cautious.
Do the dialogues feel grounded, or overly dramatic? Forced intensity usually means shallow writing.
Is the vibe consistent across the trailer? If it feels like two different genres spliced together, the movie probably is too.
Is the trailer banking only on the star? That’s usually a sign the script’s weak.

Final Thoughts

Trailers are meant to sell us something. That’s their job. But as viewers, we’re catching on. In 2025, Bollywood is still learning how to strike a balance between hype and honesty.

Some trailers this year completely misrepresented the movie (Raavan and Mumbai 2075, we’re looking at you). Others were more honest and quietly excellent (Dastaan-e-Mira). And a few, like Khoobsurat 2.0, might just surprise us in a good way.

So, next time you hit play on a trailer, take it with a pinch of salt. And remember, two minutes of drama doesn’t always lead to two hours of satisfaction.