Tiger 3 may have underperformed at the box office in 2023, but Yash Raj Films is now facing a far more challenging situation with their latest Spy Universe film, War 2, that is becoming the franchise's first certified flop. This setback comes despite the studio scoring a surprise blockbuster in 2025 with Saiyaara, starring two newcomers, which grossed an impressive INR 330 crore in India (at the time of writing this article). From Salman Khan’s ‘Ek Tha Tiger’ to Hrithik Roshan’s ‘War 2’, Ranking All YRF Spy Universe Movies From Worst to Best.

War 2, the sequel to the 2019 blockbuster War and the sixth film in the YRF Spy Universe, was directed by Ayan Mukerji, marking his first project for YRF after moving from Dharma Productions. He replaced Siddharth Anand, who directed the first War and went on to helm Pathaan, the highest-grossing film of the franchise, which cemented the Spy Universe.

Hrithik Roshan reprised his role as RAW agent Kabir, while Jr NTR made his Bollywood debut, his casting then was fresh off the global success of SS Rajamouli’s RRR. The cast also featured Kiara Advani in the female lead, with Anil Kapoor and Ashutosh Rana in key supporting roles.

The Budget of 'War 2'

According to reports, War 2 was produced on a massive budget of INR 400 crore, excluding Hrithik Roshan’s profit-sharing arrangement. Trade analysts suggested the film needed to gross at least INR 500 crore to break even.

The Box Office Performance of 'War 2'

Released on August 14 (a Thursday), War 2 earned INR 199.25 crore nett in India and INR 306 crore gross worldwide at the time of writing (figures sourced from Sacnilk). While these figures might not look disastrous on the surface, the sharp decline after its Independence Day peak on August 15 told a different story. By the following weekdays, collections had dropped into single digits.

The film’s performance in the Andhra Pradesh–Telangana (APTS) territory was particularly worrying. Sold for INR 80 crore, it only managed to net INR 35 crore, leaving distributors staring at heavy losses. Even though YRF recovered much of its investment through distribution deals and non-theatrical rights, reports suggest the studio itself may also have suffered setbacks.

So what went wrong? Here are the five major factors that contributed to War 2’s underwhelming box office run.

1. Dipping Franchise Appeal and Overestimating Jr NTR’s Casting

A Still From War 2

The first War succeeded on the strength of its leads - Hrithik Roshan and Tiger Shroff - whose mentor–protégé dynamic had already generated fan excitement. At that time, there was no 'Spy Universe' to sell; it was simply an action spectacle powered by star charisma.

Cut to 2023: the YRF Spy Universe hit its peak with Pathaan - the film that truly brought the universe into being - but also suffered a setback that same year with Tiger 3. The film's underperformance came as a shock, especially since Salman Khan had always steered the Tiger franchise to blockbuster status, and this instalment even featured a cameo from Shah Rukh Khan as Pathaan. For the first time, the franchise felt shaky. Rumours swirled that it was looking to distance itself from Salman; the much-hyped Tiger vs Pathaan was dropped, and even SRK seemed hesitant to return for Pathaan 2. All hopes were pinned on War 2 to steady the ship. The sequel now carried the added burden of lifting the entire universe from its low spirits. Although franchise appeal often helps sequels, in this case, the pressure was immense.

The casting of Jr NTR, though exciting, didn’t create the same fan frenzy as Tiger Shroff’s did. While Jr NTR delivered a solid performance in the movie, his inclusion did not enhance the sequel’s appeal like Tiger’s did in the first film. Tiger was often viewed as Hrithik’s successor (at least in 2019) and had frequently expressed admiration for his senior co-star long before War was made. That history built considerable fan excitement. ‘War 2’: Did Jr NTR Change the Climax of Hrithik Roshan-Starrer To Keep His Fans Happy? Find Out!

A Still From War 2

Jr NTR’s casting lacked that X-factor; it felt more like an attempt by the studio to capitalise on South Indian cinema’s box-office dominance and boost performance in southern markets, which ultimately did not happen. The makers overlooked that when Telugu stars transitioned to Bollywood, those films often struggled at the box office. Perhaps, as War did with Tiger or Pathaan with John Abraham, casting a popular Bollywood star opposite Hrithik might have improved the film’s performance in northern territories. From Jr NTR in ‘War 2’ to Ram Charan in ‘Zanjeer’, 13 Popular Telugu Stars Who Made Their Hindi Debut This Century and How Most Failed at the Box Office.

2. Lacklustre Trailers and Music

A film’s first impression is often lasting, and in that regard, the promotional material for War 2 fell short. The most talked-about aspect of the trailers - which otherwise relied on the brawn of its two leads and ambitious scale - was Kiara Advani’s bikini scene (which, if you’ve seen the film, served little purpose beyond gratuitous appeal). While Hrithik’s looks were praised, the trailers did Jr NTR no justice (he was far better in the film), the plot appeared to recycle the first movie, and the VFX looked visibly weak.

A Still From War 2

It became clear that director Ayan Mukerji may have bitten off more than he could chew. The songs by Pritam fared no better: "Aawan Jaawan" was widely trolled for its lyrics, and for some reason, the studio did not heavily promote the dance-off between Hrithik and Jr NTR, opting to release only a lyrical video just before the film’s release. In comparison, the soundtrack of War was an asset - the "Ghungroo", despite the borrowed tune, was a hit, and so was the dance-off song, "Jai Jai Shivshankar".

3. A Heavy Budget, Weak Visuals

A Still From War 2

It is worth remembering that the first War film was made on a reported budget of INR 170 crore, while the new one cost a reported INR 400 crore. One must look at the visual quality of both films and ask: did the sequel truly require such a huge budget? And if it did, where did the money go? The entire film had the feel of being shot inside a green-screen studio, and the VFX was not up to the mark in several scenes - a long-standing problem for this franchise. ‘War 2’ Movie Review: Hrithik Roshan and Jr NTR’s Spy Showdown Sinks Under Bad VFX and Brain-Dead Screenplay.

The YRF Spy Universe has consistently increased the budget of its films with each subsequent release, from Pathaan (INR 250 crore) to Tiger 3 (INR 300 crore). However, the visual output appears to be dropping with each instalment. It is hard to imagine that this same franchise began with Ek Tha Tiger in 2012, a film praised for its action scenes precisely because they felt grounded in real locations.

4. Clash with Coolie

A Still From War 2

Releasing alongside Coolie proved a strategic miscalculation. Coolie, which was also released on August 14, was directed by Lokesh Kanagaraj - a filmmaker with his own considerable fan base. It stars Rajinikanth, one of the biggest stars in the country, and features a star-studded lineup including Nagarjuna, Upendra, Soubin Shahir, and a cameo from Aamir Khan. Nagarjuna's presence alone ensured that Coolie would be tough competition for War 2 in the APTS territory, where Rajinikanth already enjoys a strong following.

A Still From War 2

Although Coolie, like War 2, did not fare well critically, its overall packaging- including the success of its musical tracks and festive release - secured a larger box office opening in India and even outperformed War 2 overseas. It is still important to note that War 2 performed better in the northern regions of India, where Coolie didn't perform well. However, unlike War 2, which began to crash after its first Friday, Coolie maintained its box office momentum through the weekend before its collections eventually began a steep decline. 'Coolie' Wins Box Office Battle Against 'War 2': Rajinikanth Film Set to Collect INR 200 Crore at Day 5 Closing, Hrithik Roshan-Jr NTR Movie Not Far Behind.

5. Harsh Critical and Audience Reception

A Still From War 2

Unlike its predecessor, which at least enjoyed mixed reviews, War 2 was widely panned. Critics called out its weak editing, thin writing, uninspired CGI, and failure to capitalise on its talented cast. Kiara Advani’s underwritten role became a point of criticism, while the overall narrative lacked the adrenaline-fuelled highs audiences expected. Although Hrithik and Jr NTR’s performances were praised, they were not enough to salvage the film from its negative word-of-mouth, and that proved to be the final nail in the box office coffin.

(The opinions expressed in the above article are of the author and do not reflect the stand or position of LatestLY.)

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 21, 2025 09:47 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).