War 2 is struggling at the box office despite featuring stars like Hrithik Roshan, Jr NTR, and Kiara Advani. Released worldwide on 14 August, the big-budget action film is part of Yash Raj Films’ (YRF) spy universe and directed by Ayan Mukerji. Produced by Aditya Chopra, it also stars Anil Kapoor and Ashutosh Rana in key roles.
The film, made with a reported budget of around ₹400 crore, was promoted as the sequel to the 2019 blockbuster War. Initial advance bookings were strong, and the first weekend showed promise with ₹174 crore collected in India. However, collections dropped sharply after the opening days.
Trade analysts noted that by the first Monday, daily collections fell to single-digit figures. By the second Sunday, the film earned only around ₹6.5 crore per day. So far, it has made ₹221 crore in India and just over ₹300 crore worldwide, far below its break-even target.
In comparison, the first War, made with a ₹150 crore budget, earned ₹53 crore on its opening day and grossed ₹471 crore globally, giving YRF major profits. War 2, by contrast, is now being seen as one of the most expensive misfires in the YRF spy universe.
Experts suggest the movie’s weak storyline and high production costs contributed to its poor performance. Despite its star-studded cast, it could not maintain audience interest beyond the initial release.
With losses mounting, War 2 stands out as a rare setback for YRF’s spy franchise, which has otherwise seen hits like Pathaan and Tiger 3. Whether the film can recover in its full run remains uncertain, but current trends suggest it is unlikely to turn profitable.