War 2's Jr NTR On Being Accepted In Bollywood: 'Every South Indian Has Doubts'

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Jr NTR talks about his Hindi debut in War 2, releasing on August 14. Directed by Ayan Mukerji, it stars Hrithik Roshan and Kiara Advani.
With War 2 gearing up for its Independence Day release on August 14, Telugu superstar Jr NTR has opened up about his journey into Hindi cinema and the support he received from co-star Hrithik Roshan. The highly anticipated action-thriller, also starring Kiara Advani, is directed by Ayan Mukerji and is expected to face a major box office showdown with Rajinikanth's Coolie.
Speaking at a pre-release event in Hyderabad on August 10, Jr NTR candidly addressed his initial apprehensions about entering Bollywood. Kiara Advani was absent from the event, having recently welcomed her daughter with Sidharth Malhotra in July.
'I come from South India, and thanks to SS Rajamouli for erasing many boundaries between South and North, which are just films. But every South Indian has a doubt: 'Kya accept karenge yeh log?' Thank you for accepting me with wide and open arms, and for that beautiful hug you gave me on the first day. This is not a movie about NTR going into Hindi cinema, but Hrithik equally coming into Telugu cinema," he said.
#JrNTR – 'I come from South India and there is a little fear whether they will accept us or not , but thanks to Hrithik sir , he hugged me on the first day and made me very comfortable and treated me as his brother Love you Hrithik sir" #War2 #HrithikRoshan pic.twitter.com/n5EfCs7bIp — A N K I T (@Ankitaker) August 10, 2025
The actor revealed that his seventy-five days of working alongside Hrithik Roshan proved to be an invaluable experience. 'I have learned a lot from Hrithik and often see myself in him… I can't wait to get back on set with him," he added.
Praise for director Ayan Mukerji
Jr NTR also reserved high praise for filmmaker Ayan Mukerji, calling him the perfect choice to direct War 2. 'Ayan has spent sleepless nights carving this visual extravaganza. Thank you for being a guiding force. As I promised you, 2025 will have another blockbuster from this country, and his name is going to be Ayan Mukerji," he said, adding that Mukerji would be remembered for helming one of the greatest films of the era.
CBFC troubles
According to a report by Bollywood Hungama, the CBFC examined the film closely and asked the makers to carry out multiple audio and visual modifications. The most notable changes include muting 'inappropriate references" in six separate places in the film. An 'obscene" dialogue was completely replaced with an approved, toned-down sentence. Additionally, a two-second 'obscene" gesture—occurring roughly a minute after the controversial dialogue—was ordered to be removed entirely.
In another directive, the CBFC asked the team to tone down the sensual imagery by 50%, amounting to a cut of approximately nine seconds. These visuals are speculated to be from Kiara Advani's bikini sequence in the film. While these edits were carried out, the board granted War 2 a U/A 16+ certificate on August 6, with its original runtime clocking in at 2 hours, 59 minutes, and 49 seconds (179.49 minutes).
About War 2
The story of War 2 brings a powerful showdown between Hrithik Roshan's Major Kabir Dhaliwal and Jr NTR's Vikram. Both play Indian spies, but they see patriotism in completely different ways. This difference sets the stage for a battle that's not just about action, but also about beliefs. Kiara Advani plays Kavya Luthra, a key character who will have an important part in how the story unfolds.
Directed by Ayan Mukerji, the film is a sequel to the 2019 hit War, which featured Hrithik Roshan, Tiger Shroff, and Vaani Kapoor. The first movie was loved for its high-octane action and stylish storytelling. War 2 is also part of the YRF Spy Universe, which connects stories and characters from other big films like Pathaan and Tiger Zinda Hai.
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