The trailer of War 2 is out, suggesting bigger stakes and more high-octane stunts than its predecessor. Starring Hrithik Roshan, Jr NTR and Kiara Advani in key roles, the action thriller will be released in cinemas on August 14.
The first film, directed by Siddharth Anand and released in 2019, starred Roshan as Kabir, an Indian operative who went rogue to defeat a terrorist. In War 2, Kabir is still underground, with Jr NTR’s agent Vikram in hot pursuit.
The trailer sets up their characters as equally matched in dedication and strength. Apart from Kiara Advani, the film sees Ashutosh Rana return as Kabir’s handler Luthra.
Ayan Mukerji, whose visual effects-heavy Brahmastra came out in 2022 to mixed reviews, is in the director’s seat this time. The sequel is aiming for a bigger audience audience – it has been dubbed into Tamil, Telugu and other languages and will be released in 2D and IMAX versions.
War 2 is part of the YRF Spy Universe, which was retrospectively created before the release of Pathaan in 2023. It appears that producer Yash Raj Films belatedly realised that it had been rolling out quite a few movies about super-spies saving India from peril.
Thus, Ek Tha Tiger (2012), starring Salman Khan, was deemed the first in the universe, followed by its sequel Tiger Zinda Hai (2017) and then War. Tiger 3 (2023) had a post-credits scene featuring Hrithik Roshan’s Kabir character.
Siddharth Anand’s Pathaan, starring Shah Rukh Khan, featured an extended cameo by Salman Khan’s Tiger. Shridhar Raghavan has emerged as the writer joining the dots across the universe, having scripted War, Pathaan, Tiger 3 and War 2.
A seventh production, Alpha, starring Alia Bhatt, Sharvari, Bobby Deol and Anil Kapoor and directed by Shiv Rawail (The Railway Men), is under production.
