The numbers don’t lie. War 2, positioned as the crown jewel of the YRF Spyverse, opened at around Rs. 29 crore net on Day 1 – well below industry projections of Rs. 55–60 crore for a film carrying both Hrithik Roshan’s and Jr. NTR’s stardom. Its lifetime collections, tracking toward the Rs. 150–170 crore net mark, pale in comparison to the Rs. 475 crore haul of Pathaan and even War (2019), which had closed at Rs. 318 crore net. For a film mounted on a humongous budget, this shortfall has set alarm bells ringing across trade.
Spyverse Stress Test: War 2’s miss puts tremendous pressure on Alpha to reignite the franchise engine
The real question now: does this stumble jeopardize the momentum of YRF’s next spy outing, Alpha – a film banking on Alia Bhatt’s star power and the novelty of an all-female espionage narrative?
Taran Adarsh tempers fears, suggesting minimal long-term damage, “I don’t think so. Maybe, marginally people might have that in mind. But every film is judged by itself. The cast is different, so is the director.” For him, Alpha has the advantage of novelty and fresh talent, separating it from War 2’s baggage.
In contrast, Atul Mohan is skeptical, “Yes, it will definitely impact. It has an all-female cast. So, there might be something novel. But then, when Hrithik and NTR Jr. are not able to excite you, what can we say then? But you never know how the film might turn out.” His view reflects a structural concern: if even top-billed male superstars fail to drive the Spyverse, can a female-led experiment be expected to open bigger?
Akshaye Rathi provides a more balanced view, stressing the film’s intrinsic merit, “Beyond a point, it will also be about the merit of that film individually. All of us are hoping that it’s a damn good film. Who knows? Alpha may be that film that gives the new spike to the Spyverse and makes people interested and excited over it all over again. While Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan and Hrithik Roshan are much bigger stars, Alia Bhatt may be the rabbit out of the hat Aditya Chopra pulls out. It’s also a young director with fresh energy coming into it – Shiv Rawail.”
Girish Johar of Zee Studios believes Alpha’s production timeline offers breathing space, “I believe the shooting of Alpha is still under process. But yes, the creative team behind it definitely should be taking this feedback. We still have a couple of months down the line. If they can take a good insight from this (War 2) and add to the film, it will definitely benefit them more.”
Trade insiders note that marketing positioning, screenplay tightness, and franchise continuity are areas that can still be recalibrated before release.
Vishek Chauhan, owner of Roopbani Cinema in Bihar, is blunt about audience fatigue, “It will definitely affect, until and unless that turns out to be an extraordinary film. There was a film called Naam Shabana from the Baby universe with Taapsee Pannu. What was the result of that? If your War 2 is itself earning only Rs. 150–170 crores, how will Alpha fare with a female-led cast with the same theme and same cameos by either Hrithik Roshan or Shah Rukh Khan? How many times will a person see it? I think the Spyverse peaked with Pathaan.”
Satadeep Saha, CEO of SSR Cinemas Pvt Ltd echoes the concern with hard math, “Yes, Alpha will definitely be affected. If War 2 would have earned Rs. 500 crores, Alpha would have had a chance of doing at least Rs. 150 to Rs. 200 crores. But if War 2 scores only Rs. 150 crores, then Alpha has to score bigger than that. That will be a challenge for the film. In that film, there are also no male lead characters. The movie needs to be extraordinary to pass War 2.”
The YRF Spyverse has so far followed a predictable graph: Ek Tha Tiger (Rs. 198 cr.) set the base, Tiger Zinda Hai (Rs. 339 cr.) expanded it, War (Rs. 318 cr.) added swagger, and Pathaan (Rs. 475 cr.) pushed it into blockbuster territory. But Tiger 3 underwhelmed (Rs. 280 cr.), and War 2’s tepid run signals possible franchise fatigue.
For Alpha, this means the stakes are doubled. On one hand, it carries the burden of reversing momentum; on the other, it has the opportunity to inject freshness with new storytelling voices and a younger star cast.
Also Read: Alia Bhatt and Sharvari rehearse intensively for a major dance sequence for Alpha: Report
More Pages: Alpha Box Office Collection , Alpha Movie Review
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