Hrithik Roshan and Jr. NTR’s much-anticipated action thriller, “War 2,” has delivered a solid, if slightly underwhelming, opening at the domestic box office. The film, a new installment in the YRF Spy Universe, earned an estimated ₹52.5 crore net across all languages on its first day, according to industry tracker Sacnilk. This places “War 2” as the second-highest Hindi opener of 2025, but it narrowly missed the opening day record set by its predecessor, “War” (2019).
Breaking Down the Box Office Numbers
The Day 1 collection for “War 2” is a testament to the combined star power of Hrithik Roshan and Jr. NTR, who is making his Hindi debut. The earnings breakdown is as follows:
- Hindi: ₹29 crore net
- Telugu: ₹23.25 crore net
- Tamil: ₹0.25 crore net
While the Hindi collection is a respectable figure, it fell short of the ₹51 crore earned by the Hindi version of the first “War” film. This suggests a heavy reliance on the Telugu market, where Jr. NTR’s star power was a major draw. In fact, the Telugu version’s occupancy rates were significantly higher than the Hindi version, with night shows registering a high of 84.88%.
Performance in the YRF Spy Universe
“War 2” ‘s opening day collection of ₹52.5 crore places it behind “Pathaan’s” ₹57 crore but ahead of “Tiger 3’s” ₹44.5 crore, making it a strong contender within the franchise. However, it’s worth noting that its predecessor, “War,” opened with a slightly higher ₹53 crore, a benchmark the sequel was expected to surpass given the combined star power.
The “Coolie” Factor
The film’s box office performance was also impacted by a direct clash with Rajinikanth’s “Coolie.” While both films opened a day before the Independence Day holiday, “Coolie” took a commanding lead, with initial reports suggesting it earned a massive ₹65 crore on its opening day. This highlights the immense pull of Rajinikanth in the South Indian market, where “Coolie” dominated occupancy and collections, particularly in Tamil Nadu.
Mixed Reviews and Day 2 Estimates
“War 2” has received mixed reviews from critics and audiences alike. While some praised the chemistry between Hrithik and Jr. NTR and the film’s scale, others, including film critic Taran Adarsh, found the screenplay “disappointing” and the writing to be the “biggest culprit.” These mixed reviews could impact the film’s performance over the weekend, although the Independence Day holiday is expected to boost footfalls.
Early estimates for Day 2 suggest the film has earned an additional ₹11.79 crore net in India by Friday afternoon, bringing its two-day total to ₹64.29 crore. The true test for “War 2” will be its ability to hold strong over the extended weekend and generate positive word-of-mouth to build momentum beyond its opening.