War 2 is a 2025 Hindi-language action thriller that brings Hrithik Roshan and Jr NTR together on screen for the first time. Ayan Mukerji directed the movie, and Aditya Chopra produced it under the Yash Raj Films banner. It was released in theatres on 14 August 2025, during the Independence Day weekend. The movie is the sixth entry in the YRF Spy Universe and a direct sequel to War (2019). Hrithik returns as Major Kabir Dhaliwal, while Jr NTR makes his Hindi film debut as Major Vikram Chelapathi. This guide covers the story, the cast, the music, the box office results, and where you can watch the movie today.
The Story of War 2
The story picks up after the events of the first War movie, where Kabir Dhaliwal was introduced as a top RAW agent. Kabir has now gone rogue, and he has become a serious threat to national security. The state can no longer trust him, and it can no longer control him either, so the hunt for Kabir begins in earnest. A special units officer named Vikram Chelapathi is given the job of tracking him down and stopping him at all costs. Kabir is smart, fast, and very hard to catch, which turns the mission into a tense pursuit across the globe. The pursuit moves from city to city, and each clash between the two men raises the stakes further.
Kiara Advani plays Wing Commander Kavya Luthra, the daughter of a senior RAW officer, and she shares a personal link with Kabir. Her role adds emotion to the narrative, because the movie is not only about guns and chases but also about trust, loss, and duty. The movie keeps its biggest twists under wraps, and this guide will not spoil them here. What can be said is simple: this is a spy tale at heart, built around a hero who goes astray and the man sent to bring him back. Two strong men, one long chase, and a nation at stake form the core of War 2.
The Cast of War 2
Hrithik Roshan leads the cast as Major Kabir Dhaliwal, the same role he played in War in 2019. Fans know Kabir well by now as a cool, sharp, and lethal agent, and Hrithik brings his trademark style to the part. His screen presence is a major draw, and his action scenes stand out as a key highlight of the movie. Jr NTR plays Major Vikram Chelapathi in his first Hindi film, after building a huge career in Telugu cinema. His entry into Hindi films was big news, and his pairing with Hrithik gave fans from both industries plenty to cheer about. In War 2, the two performers stand toe to toe, and their face-off forms the emotional and physical heart of the movie.
Kiara Advani plays Wing Commander Kavya Luthra, and her role goes well beyond that of a simple love interest. She drives several key turns in the plot and adds depth to the central conflict between Kabir and Vikram. Ashutosh Rana returns as Colonel Sunil Luthra, a senior RAW officer and the father of Kavya. Anil Kapoor plays Colonel Vikrant Kaul, who serves as the chief of RAW in the movie. The supporting cast adds further depth, with Varun Badola playing a defence minister and K. C. Shankar playing a wealthy businessman. The cast is large, but the focus stays firmly on the two leads, since their clash is what most fans came to see.
Direction, Action, and Music
Ayan Mukerji directed War 2, taking over from Siddharth Anand, who made the first War movie in 2019. This is Ayan’s first movie in the spy universe, and he is known for large, visual films with strong emotional cores. His task here was huge, because he had to stage action on a global scale while balancing two mega stars. He also had to keep the spy narrative taut across a long run time, which is never an easy job. The action was filmed in many locations, with the team shooting in Mumbai as well as in Spain, Italy, and Abu Dhabi. The shoot ran from October 2023 to July 2025, and the movie is packed with car chases, boat chases, and hand-to-hand fights. The camera work aims for a grand, big-screen feel, and the movie was released in IMAX, 4DX, and Dolby Cinema. It was the first Indian movie to be shown in the Dolby Cinema format, which shows the scale the makers were aiming for.
Pritam composed the songs, while Sanchit Balhara and Ankit Balhara created the background score for the movie. Amitabh Bhattacharya wrote the lyrics, and the soundtrack album contains eight songs in total. The first single, “Aavan Jaavan”, was released on 31 July 2025, while the second single, “Janaab-e-Aali”, was teased on 7 August 2025. The songs add colour to a dark and tense movie, and the score lifts the chase scenes at key moments. The movie carries a U/A certificate and runs for 173 minutes in total, which makes it one of the longest spy films in the series. The scale, the stars, and the stunts fill the run time well enough for the target audience.
Box Office and Reviews
War 2 opened big on 14 August 2025, clashing with the Tamil movie Coolie at the box office. The Hindi version earned 29 crore rupees on day one in India, which was a strong start for a working weekday. The opening weekend in India brought in 130 crore rupees, and the first week closed at 154.75 crore rupees in India. Trade site Bollywood Hungama reports the final worldwide gross at 303.22 crore rupees, which tells a mixed story. India net stands at 185.13 crore rupees, India gross stands at 220.39 crore rupees, and overseas gross stands at 82.83 crore rupees. The movie cost a great deal to make, with reports putting the budget between 300 crore and 400 crore rupees. That budget makes it one of the most costly Indian films ever made, and against that cost, the final gross fell short of hopes. Even so, the movie still ranks as the fifth-highest-grossing Hindi film of 2025, which is no small feat.
Critics gave the movie mixed to negative reviews, with praise for the cast and action but doubts about the story. The Times of India gave it 3 stars out of 5, calling it watchable mainly for the action and spectacle. Times Now also gave it 3 stars out of 5, praising the performers, the action scenes, and the dialogue. That review also noted a slow second half, which hurt the overall pace of the movie. Firstpost gave it 2.5 stars out of 5, finding the movie long and talky in several stretches. On Rotten Tomatoes, 30 percent of 23 critics gave the movie a positive review, which reflects the divided response. Most critics agreed that the cast and the action scenes were strong, while the writing and pacing could have been tighter. Fans of Hrithik and Jr NTR still get plenty to cheer, since the face-off scenes live up to the hype. The flaws lie more in the writing and pace than in the stars, who carry the movie with ease.
Where to Watch War 2
War 2 first reached theatres on 14 August 2025, playing in Hindi as well as dubbed Tamil and Telugu versions. It played in standard screens and premium formats, giving fans many ways to watch it on the big screen. After its theatre run ended, the movie moved to streaming, where it found a second audience at home. The movie began streaming on Netflix from 9 October 2025, which made it easy for fans to catch up. It also had its television premiere on Star Gold on 26 January 2026, during the Republic Day weekend.
If you enjoy spy action films, War 2 is worth a watch for the star pairing alone, which is rare and grand. The action is large and loud, the music adds charm, and the scale feels truly cinematic throughout. Go in for the spectacle and the stars rather than a tight, lean thriller, and the movie will entertain you. On that front, it gives fans a full meal with plenty of action, drama, and style.
For more Bollywood films like this one, visit our Bollywood Movies section. You can also head back to the Moviesda home page for the latest posts. If you like list guides, our Top 10 Must-Watch Movies of 2026 guide is a good next read. For full cast and crew details, see the Wikipedia page for War 2. For day-wise trade figures, see the Bollywood Hungama box office page.
