New Delhi, Jan. 3 -- Akshaye Khanna may not have led the cast lists, but 2025 firmly belonged to him. In a year dominated by spectacle-driven cinema, the veteran actor emerged as a decisive box office force, becoming the only Indian actor after Shah Rukh Khan to feature in films that collectively grossed more than Rs.2,000 crore worldwide within a single calendar year.

The milestone was achieved not through star-driven vehicles but through two major releases in which Akshaye played powerful antagonists-roles that ended up anchoring the year's biggest Hindi box office successes.

Akshaye first drew widespread attention with his portrayal of Mughal emperor Aurangzeb in Chhaava, directed by Laxman Utekar and headlined by Vicky Kaushal. Rele...