When War 2 was announced, the formula looked bulletproof: Hrithik Roshan, the Hindi film industry’s most bankable action star, joining forces with Jr. NTR, riding high on his post-RRR pan-India aura, under the banner of Yash Raj Films’ Spy Universe. On paper, it was a masterstroke designed to unite markets and shatter records. In reality, the film’s box office trajectory has been sobering. Despite a strong pre-release buzz, the opening day collections faltered, raising questions not only about the Hindi market’s appetite but also about whether the Telugu version – expected to thrive on Jr. NTR’s stardom – delivered at all.
War 2’s pan-India gamble: A missed opportunity or overestimated factor?
Telugu version: Missed opportunity or overestimated factor?
Much of the post-release chatter has focused on the Telugu version’s underperformance. Taran Adarsh, Film Trade Analyst and Critic, voiced his surprise, “I am shocked at the underperformance of the Telugu version because everyone expected it to rock. Over there, the stardom is very big for NTR Jr. In this case, it just didn’t work. On the first day, the curiosity levels were there. But on the second day, it just went down. I don’t know, but the Telugu audience also must have felt, where’s the content?”
Girish Johar of Zee Studios, however, believes the problem lies deeper than regional reception: “When a film fails, it is a failure at the content level. It’s not that the film is doing well in Telugu and Tamil and not doing well in Hindi or vice versa. I believe dubbing the film was a calculated decision because it had Jr. NTR, and they got decent numbers in encashing the Telugu market as well. So, that being a reason for faltering, I doubt.”
Satadeep Saha, CEO of SSR Cinemas Pvt Ltd, echoed that view, “Overall, if the film isn’t good, it will not work in any of the versions. So, that is the case in this scenario also.”
The consensus is clear – the Telugu version didn’t underperform in isolation; it faltered because the content didn’t connect, regardless of language.
Hrithik vs. NTR: Who Drove the Opening?
One of the key questions around War 2 is whether the initial numbers were fuelled more by Hrithik Roshan’s proven action legacy or Jr. NTR’s rising pan-India appeal. Taran Adarsh sees it as a combination of multiple forces, “It’s a combined effort. There is Hrithik and NTR, and the YRF banner also played a major role. It’s a premium production house, and they have just delivered Saiyaara. All these factors contributed to the curiosity for the film. But unfortunately, the content has misfired.”
Exhibitor and distributor Akshaye Rathi also highlighted the strategic logic behind the casting, “Both have significant appeal. Jr. NTR also after RRR, has become a bit of a household name and a star whom people even in North India identify with. Theoretically, this casting is supposed to be a masterpiece because one is a superstar in the Hindi-speaking market and the other in Telugu Telugu-speaking market. The idea was to have two complementing and not cannibalizing markets. Unfortunately, the kind of impact that was expected, in terms of what Taarak could draw in Andhra-Telangana like he did with Devara, or other films of the past, didn’t happen.”
Vishek Chauhan, owner of Roopbani Cinema in Bihar, added a broader industry perspective, “To score in this genre, you need to make extraordinary films now. This was also another negative for War 2. Even Tiger 3 underperformed. Even the Cop Universe underperformed. Even the Marvel and DC films are underperforming. Even the Mission Impossible films are underperforming. Even Fighter saw diminishing returns.”
Chauhan also contrasted War 2’s struggle with the unexpected success of Saiyaara, “Saiyaara came as a breath of fresh air. People hadn’t seen such a film for a long time. Genres rise and die, and they again rise theatrically. I think people are looking more towards personal stories now, where the angst and agony are more personal. Although Animal was an action film, it was a very personal story. Similarly, John Wick’s story is also very personal. Also, a fresh genre like horror comedy will show good returns.”
The verdict emerging from the trade is unambiguous: War 2’s star-studded casting and multilingual strategy couldn’t override weak content. Hrithik Roshan’s track record and Jr. NTR’s stardom gave the film an opening, but the lack of emotional resonance and freshness in storytelling prevented it from sustaining.
Also Read: Trade Experts unite on Coolie vs War 2 clash: Coolie may have nibbled, but War 2 ate itself
More Pages: War 2 Box Office Collection , War 2 Movie Review
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