War 2 movie review: Hrithik Roshan, NTR Jr try to light up the screen, while plot goes on vacation
Director: Ayan Mukerji
Cast: Hrithik Roshan, Jr NTR, Kiara Advani
Rating: ★★.5
"You're the villain!" War 2 movie review: Hrithik Roshan and Jr NTR face off against each other in this YRF Spy Universe movie.
"No, you're the villain!"
"Actually, everyone's the villain!"
"Fine. No one's the villain. Can we breathe now?"
And thus marches War 2, a shiny amalgamation of every spy drama trope dusted off from the cinematic attic. The latest entry in Yash Raj Film's SpyVerse scored a casting coup: Hrithik Roshan and NTR Jr together in one frame, sending fans into an early frenzy. That frenzy, much like the film itself, has been both a gift and a curse.
War 2: What is the plot?
The plot? Kabir (Hrithik) seems to have crossed over to the dark side, so R&AW sends Vikram (NTR) to reel him in. In between, there is Kali, a club of global leaders and businessmen plotting to execute India's Prime Minister. Colonel Luthra's daughter Kavya (Kiara Advani) is nursing a broken heart and seeking revenge for his murder. But nothing is as it seems, which means you are in for a world tour stamped Amsterdam, Manali, Valencia, Yas Island and Davos. Yes, money has been thrown at the screen and it shows. But you know that feeling when you finally splurge on that fancy meal you have been craving, only to realise halfway through you do not even like it? That is War 2, directed by Ayan Mukerji.
The first half is spent on the grand entries of our two heroes, and to be fair, that part is done very well. But soon enough, it is back to the same old mission and dishoom-dishoom. NTR and Hrithik share good chemistry, but it does not tear the screen apart as per the expectations. Mostly because their characters are not all that interesting. Towards the interval, there is an interesting turn of events. Groundbreaking? No.
A dull affair
It is another recycled story from Shridhar Raghavan, who has already penned Pathaan, War and Tiger 3 for YRF. Kiara's character vanishes from the narrative midway through the first half, but you are too busy trying to make sense of what is going on to notice. The constant mishmash of action and chase sequences wears you out, and every entry of Hrithik and NTR is in slow motion, almost instructing their fans, "Here is your hero, clap."
The backstory tries to resuscitate the second half, but by then, scrolling Instagram seems far more exciting.
The action is fine. Elevated by the sheer passion Hrithik and NTR bring, but still fine. And if I may say, even without a convincing enough motive, NTR edges out Hrithik just a teeny bit.
The music is a letdown. Pritam delivers a beautiful composition with Aavan Jaavan, but Janaab E Ali, both in tune and picturisation, never takes off. One cannot help but recall how electric Jai Jai Shiv Shankar was in the first War.
In the end, War 2 is not really about who the villain is. It is about how even the biggest guns can fire blanks. The mid-credit scene was a bigger banger, just imagine.
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Time of India
38 minutes ago
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Hrithik Roshan and Jr NTR's ‘War 2' zooms past War's collection at the end of day 2
War 2, starring Hritik Roshan and Jr NTR, is performing well at the box office. The film's opening was slightly lower than War. However, Day 2 collections increased significantly. War 2's two-day total exceeds War's earnings. Strong word of mouth and repeat viewings are driving the film's success. Trade experts predict War 2 will cross Rs 200 crore in its opening weekend. The highly anticipated War 2 directed by Ayan Mukerji, headlined by Hrithik Roshan , Jr NTR , and Kiara Advani , has taken a strong stand at the box office, racing past the numbers of its predecessor War. Back in 2019, War starring Hrithik Roshan and Tiger Shroff was a game-changer for Hindi cinema's action genre. On its opening day ( 2nd October) , the film had posted Rs 53.35 crore net in India, a staggering figure at the time, powered largely by the Hindi version's Rs 51.60 crore. Day 2, however, saw a significant drop, with collections falling to Rs 24.35 crore, marking a steep 54.35% decline. The two-day total stood at Rs 77.70 crore net. Despite the fall, War went on to be a blockbuster, finishing its run with more than Rs 300 crore in India. Fast forward to 2025, and War 2 has rewritten the script. The film opened on Thursday with Rs 51.5 crore net, slightly below War's Day 1 but still massive by any measure. What stunned the trade, however, was the turnaround on Day 2. Instead of slipping, War 2 soared to an estimated Rs 56.50 crore net of which Rs 44 crore came from Hindi version as per Sacnilk. The numbers were driven by strong word of mouth, Hrithik Roshan's strong fanbase, and repeat viewership for its high-octane action. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Secure Your Child's Future with Strong English Fluency Planet Spark Learn More Undo This growth of nearly 10% over opening day is extremely rare for a big-budget action film, particularly on a non-holiday and despite mixed reviews the film garnered. The two-day total of War 2 now stands at Rs 108 crore net, eclipsing War's two-day figure of Rs 77.70 crore by a huge margin. This makes War 2 not only a bigger opener in terms of trajectory but also one of the highest-grossing films in India across its first two days in 2025 so far. For Aditya Chopra and Ayan Mukerji, the numbers signal a strong vote of confidence. Trade experts believe War 2 is on course to cross the Rs 200 crore net mark in its opening weekend, a feat that would make it one of the fastest films to do so in Indian box office history. "Get the latest news updates on Times of India, including reviews of the movie Coolie and War 2 ."
Time of India
an hour ago
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Inside Kiara Advani's 3 months regime for 'War 2' prep: From pancakes to steady cardio and a sound 8 hour sleep, here's what we know
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War 2 box office Day 2: Hrithik, Jr NTR film soars past Coolie on Independence Day
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