War 2 is one of the most awaited films of 2025. Directed by Ayan Mukerji, this sequel to the 2019 blockbuster War stars Hrithik Roshan, Jr. NTR, and Kiara Advani in the lead roles.
The film is slated for a worldwide theatrical release on August 14, 2025, just a day before India’s Independence Day.
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The face-off between two Indian superstars — Hrithik from Bollywood and Jr. NTR from South cinema — has generated massive excitement among fans across the country. However, the recently released teaser came as a rude shock to many.
While Hrithik impressed as expected, Jr. NTR’s presence didn’t create the desired impact. He lacked the intimidating aura expected from a ruthless opponent and came across as a routine villain often seen in YRF’s Spy Universe.
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The marketing failed to establish him as a real threat to Hrithik’s character, making it seem like Hrithik could defeat him with ease. To make things worse, the teaser’s subpar VFX further weakened its impact.
Recently, a space was held on X (formerly Twitter) where trade analysts and exhibitors evaluated the box office prospects following the teaser release.
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Many agreed that while the teaser was underwhelming, the negativity has been exaggerated. In fact, the response from distributors and exhibitors in the Hindi belt wasn’t as poor as social media suggested.
They pointed out that if War 2 had featured only Bollywood stars, the backlash wouldn’t have been as intense. The real issue is that it was projected as a pan-India film uniting two massive stars from different industries. With that hype, the teaser didn’t live up to expectations.
Very early estimates, based solely on the teaser, suggest the film could open to 35–40 crores net in Hindi markets. In the South, particularly the Telugu states, it may collect around 25 crores net on day one. The worldwide opening day gross should touch 120 crores easily.
Analysts believe that if the songs, especially the much-anticipated dance-off between Hrithik and NTR, turn out to be crowd-pleasers, the film’s prospects will significantly improve. Much will also depend on how the full trailer is received.
Pathaan, the biggest hit from YRF’s Spy Universe, grossed 106 crores worldwide on its first day and eventually became the first Hindi film to gross 1,000 crores in a single language.
Interestingly, Pathaan’s teaser was also criticized for poor VFX, but audiences did not find major flaws in the final film.
What will ultimately decide War 2’s fate is how Ayan Mukerji has crafted Jr. NTR’s character.
If he is portrayed as a menacing, unpredictable villain capable of scaring and defeating Hrithik’s character, the drama and twists could elevate the film significantly. In that case, War 2 could very well become YRF’s next 800–1,000 crore blockbuster.
The first War collected nearly 475 crores worldwide in 2019 and was a huge blockbuster. Expectations are significantly higher this time.
