Hey everyone! Today, we are going to talk about a big action movie from last year, “War 2”. This film was a much anticipated part of the YRF Spy Universe. It brought together two huge stars, Hrithik Roshan and N. T. Rama Rao Jr., for the very first time on the big screen. People had really high hopes for this movie, thinking it would break many records.
“War 2” hit the cinemas on August 14, 2025, just before India’s Independence Day weekend. It was meant to be a grand celebration of action and thrills. The movie was a sequel to the hit film “War” from 2019, continuing the story of super-spy Kabir. This time, the stakes were even higher, with a new powerful villain in the mix.
The film was directed by Ayan Mukerji and produced by Aditya Chopra under the famous Yash Raj Films banner. It promised stunning action and a gripping story. Even though it had a huge buzz before release, the movie’s journey at the box office turned out to be quite a roller coaster. Let’s take a closer look at how it performed.
Basic details
Movie name: War 2
Category: Action Thriller, Spy
Language: Hindi (dubbed in Telugu and Tamil)
Release date: August 14, 2025
Director: Ayan Mukerji
Main cast: Hrithik Roshan, N. T. Rama Rao Jr., Kiara Advani, Ashutosh Rana, Anil Kapoor
Runtime: Not available
Where to watch: Theatrical release, later on OTT (digital platforms)
Budget
“War 2” was a really expensive movie to make. Its estimated budget was around ₹400 crore. Some reports even suggested a range of ₹300-400 crore. This huge budget was used for big action scenes, shooting in different countries, and for the high salaries of the famous actors. It was one of the most expensive Indian films ever made.
Opening day collection
The movie opened to a big start on its first day. “War 2” collected about ₹51.75 crore net in India across all languages on its opening day. Out of this, the Hindi version brought in ₹29 crore, and the Telugu version earned ₹22.75 crore. Globally, on its opening day, the film collected around ₹82 crore.
Day wise box office collection
Here is a look at how “War 2” performed at the box office day by day during its first week. Please note that daily overseas collection data is not always easy to find separately for each day, so we will focus on India net collection for daily updates.
| Day | India net collection (approx.) | India gross collection (approx.) | Overseas collection (approx.) | Worldwide total (approx.) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Day 1 (Aug 14, 2025) | ₹51.75 crore | Not available | Not available | ₹82 crore |
| Day 2 (Aug 15, 2025) | ₹57.5 crore | Not available | Not available | ₹68 crore (estimated, from total) |
| Day 3 (Aug 16, 2025) | ₹32.95 crore | Not available | Not available | Not available |
| Day 4 (Aug 17, 2025) | ₹32.35 crore | Not available | Not available | Not available |
| Day 5 (Aug 18, 2025) | ₹8.6 crore | Not available | Not available | Not available |
| Day 6 (Aug 19, 2025) | ₹8.9 crore | Not available | Not available | Not available |
| Day 7 (Aug 20, 2025) | ₹5.65 crore | Not available | Not available | Not available |
| First week total (India Net) | ₹197.7 crore (derived) | Not available | Not available | ₹200 crore (estimated worldwide gross) |
| Second weekend total | Not available | Not available | Not available | Not available |
Latest total box office collection
When all was said and done, “War 2” had a final worldwide gross collection of about ₹364.35 crore. In India, the movie collected a net total of ₹236.55 crore. The India gross collection came to around ₹282.60 crore. From overseas markets, the film earned about ₹81.75 crore.
Hit or flop status
Despite its big budget and famous cast, “War 2” did not do as well as expected at the box office. The movie was declared a “flop” by trade experts. It underperformed significantly, considering its huge budget of around ₹400 crore. To be a hit, the film needed to earn much more, with some reports suggesting it needed ₹650-700 crore worldwide to break even. However, it only managed to collect about half of that, leading to a “losing” verdict for the producers.
Earnings report
Apart from ticket sales in theaters, movies also make money from other rights. “War 2” managed to get a good amount from its non-theatrical deals. The digital rights for the movie were reportedly sold for ₹150 crore. Satellite rights brought in another ₹50 crore, and music rights added ₹25 crore to the earnings. In total, the non-theatrical revenue was around ₹225 crore. These deals helped to cover some of the losses from its theatrical run. Even before its release, the Telugu distribution rights alone were sold for a huge ₹90 crore.
Why people liked it
“War 2” was an action thriller, and many people went to see it for the thrilling action sequences and the chance to see Hrithik Roshan and N. T. Rama Rao Jr. together. The film had some impressive stunts. People also enjoyed the star power of the lead actors. For fans of the YRF Spy Universe, it was another chapter in a popular series. If you’re looking to catch up on other big spy thrillers, you might enjoy reading about how Pathaan Roars Loud: How Shah Rukh Khan’s Comeback Film Conquered the Box Office.
However, many viewers also felt that the story was not as strong as it could have been. Some parts felt predictable, and the visual effects received mixed reviews, with some people calling them “shoddy”.
Cast performance
Both Hrithik Roshan and N. T. Rama Rao Jr. are known for their strong screen presence, and they did their best in “War 2”. Hrithik Roshan returned as the popular spy Kabir, and he delivered with his action and intense looks. N. T. Rama Rao Jr. made his debut in a Hindi film with this movie, and his performance was praised by many. People enjoyed seeing these two big stars face off against each other. Kiara Advani also played a key role and added to the film’s star power.
Public response
The public response to “War 2” was a mix of good and bad feelings. On one hand, many fans loved the high-octane action and the chemistry between Hrithik and Jr. NTR. Some called it a “visual spectacle” and enjoyed the big scale of the film. On social media, there was a lot of talk about the movie, and some even called it the “best film in YRF Spy Universe” right after it came out.
But on the other hand, many critics and audience members felt the movie was “strictly mediocre.” They pointed out weaknesses in the story and screenplay. Some people were disappointed with the visual effects, saying they lacked conviction. The word of mouth was mixed, which probably affected the film’s box office run after the initial buzz.
Final words
“War 2” was a highly anticipated movie with a lot of potential. It had a star-studded cast and a huge budget, but it faced challenges at the box office. While it entertained many with its action and star power, it could not achieve the blockbuster status that was expected. The film ended its theatrical run as a flop. Despite this, its non-theatrical earnings helped recover some of the investment. You can always visit B4BOLLY for more updates on Bollywood box office.
Source note
Bollywood Hungama
NDTV
Rediff.com
Sacnilk
The Indian Express
The Times of India
Wikipedia
Yash Raj Films Official Website
Radio Times
Rotten Tomatoes
Ragalahari
Hollywood News
MensXP
Roger Ebert
Pinkvilla
Reddit
