In an industry where opening day numbers often serve as the verdict, War 2 has delivered a shocker. For a film designed to be a box office thunderclap, it arrived with a whimper. Backed by the formidable YRF Spy Universe, fronted by Hrithik Roshan in his most bankable action avatar, and powered by Jr. NTR’s post-RRR pan-India aura, the film had all the makings of a historic opener. By every parameter, War 2 should have debuted to thunderous applause. Instead, its opening momentum fell short, leaving trade pundits and audiences alike wondering: how did a franchise built on spectacle, star power, and brand equity stumble at the very first step? Was it weak marketing? Franchise fatigue? Or simply a case of spectacle without substance?
What went wrong with War 2? Trade experts dissect: “The buzz was weak, songs didn’t click, and Thursday release killed the hype…”
Industry expectations were sky-high. The first War had scored a record-breaking Rs. 53.35 crore start on Gandhi Jayanti in 2019, setting a new benchmark for action franchises. This time, with a bigger canvas and the dual-star strategy, the bar was set higher.
Film trade analyst Taran Adarsh recalls, “Before the release, it was one of the hottest films in the market. Everyone expected a flying start. The first part had taken Rs. 50 crore-plus on its opening day. With NTR Jr. being a huge star in Telugu cinema and popular in the Hindi belt too, part two was expected to rewrite history.”
But the early signs were worrying. Adarsh explains, “It did not even start well. You can understand if audiences reject a film after watching it, but the advance bookings already showed a lack of enthusiasm. Spot bookings didn’t pick up either. Even with holidays like Independence Day and Janmashtami, the numbers didn’t really take off.”Atul Mohan, however, points to a different cause, “There wasn’t much excitement from the teaser. The same happened after the trailer and the songs. In War 1, ‘Jai Jai Shiv Shankar’ and ‘Ghungroo’ were hits before release. This time, nothing clicked. Even the VFX in promos didn’t convince audiences. All these factors worked against the film.”
Exhibitor Akshaye Rathi agrees, stressing the importance of first impressions, “The trailer didn’t have the kind of impact we were hoping for. War 1 opened almost twice as big as War 2. In a franchise, you expect part two to be stronger, not weaker.”
Beyond the weak buzz, many point to the content itself. Adarsh was blunt, “It’s the weakest film in the YRF Spy Universe. The stunts were out of the world, money was spent – but the content lacked soul. If you dress a mannequin in great clothes, it still isn’t alive. Similarly, the film looked good but had no heart.”
Atul Mohan also criticizes the release strategy, “I don’t know why they released on Thursday. Reviews came out early, and while the Independence Day holiday gave a boost, word-of-mouth spread quickly that the film wasn’t good. Had it been released directly on August 15, the numbers would have been extraordinary.”
Producer-distributor Girish Johar echoes, “There was no point in releasing on the 14th. It wasn’t a holiday in India or overseas. If the film had dropped on August 15, the opening would have been far stronger. A Thursday release actually dampened the holiday impact.”
Music, once a USP of the YRF brand, was another miss. Johar observes, “For a film to penetrate Tier-1, 2, and 3 towns, it needs at least one or two hit songs. That was missing here.”Exhibitor Vishek Chauhan explains, “Big spectacle, save-the-world films have been dominating since 2008. From Marvel and DC to Fast & Furious, audiences have seen it all. Today, this genre feels overdone. OTT has made such films easily accessible, so the excitement for theatrical releases has dipped.”
Meanwhile, Satyadeep Saha, CEO of SSR Cinemas Pvt Ltd, highlights pacing problems, “The packaging looked good, but the film felt stretched. Especially the action sequences. Trimming half an hour would have helped.”
More Pages: War 2 Box Office Collection , War 2 Movie Review
BOLLYWOOD NEWS – LIVE UPDATES
Catch us for latest Bollywood News, New Bollywood Movies update, Box office collection, New Movies Release , Bollywood News Hindi, Entertainment News, Bollywood Live News Today & Upcoming Movies 2025 and stay updated with latest hindi movies only on Bollywood Hungama.