The highly-anticipated Hrithik Roshan movie, War 2, had its grand release in cinemas on August 14, clashing with the release of Rajinikanth’s Coolie. Releasing just a day before the Independence Day holiday, the action-packed sequel to 2019’s War drew massive crowds, particularly in the Hindi-speaking regions, though it ultimately fell short of its rival’s opening-day box office collections.
War 2 Box Office Collection
Produced by Yash Raj Films and helmed by Ayan Mukerji, the Hrithik Roshan and Jr NTR starrer capitalised on the months-long buzz to secure an impressive first-day collection. According to early estimates from industry tracker Sacnilk, the film earned Rs 52.5 crore net on its opening day, around Rs 12.5 crore less than Coolie.
The main share of revenue came from the Hindi belt, with Rs 29 crore net generated from the original Hindi version. Telugu screenings contributed a significant Rs 23.25 crore net, thanks to the star power of Jr NTR. While Tamil audiences largely chose Rajinikanth’s Coolie, War 2 saw overwhelming popularity among Telugu moviegoers, recording an impressive 74.97% occupancy for 2D Telugu shows on Thursday. In contrast, Hindi 2D shows reported an average occupancy of 29.24%.
With a reported budget ranging between Rs 300 and Rs 400 crore, the film’s performance in the coming days will be closely monitored, especially because of its high production costs and expectations from the franchise.
War 2 cast
Alongside Roshan and Jr NTR, War 2 features Kiara Advani, Ashutosh Rana, and Anil Kapoor in prominent roles, further adding to its marquee value.
War 2 review
Trade analyst Taran Adarsh delivered a harsh verdict, awarding the film just 1.5 stars. On X (formerly Twitter), he wrote, “Weakest film in #YRFSpyUniverse… Has star power, scale, style, stunts – but lacks soul… Writing is the biggest culprit here… Not even #HrithikRoshan and #NTR can save this royal mess.”
Film business analyst Sumit Kadel also followed suit. He described the debut numbers as a “catastrophic opening” given the scale, ensemble cast, and brand reputation. Despite the criticism, he acknowledged the visual spectacle of one particular sequence, writing, “Major highlight of the film is Jaanabe Ali song and dance of both the leads.”
With a long weekend ahead, all eyes are now on whether War 2 can recover pace and close the gap with its box-office rival, Rajinikanth’s Coolie.