Can Hrithik & NTR’s Hyderabad Event Turn the Tide for War 2?

The YRF Spy Universe has been one of the hottest film franchises in recent years, bringing together some of India’s biggest stars in action-packed dramas. After War blew up in 2019, fans were itching to see what YRF would do next. That wait finally ended in 2023 when they announced War 2, Hrithik Roshan back as Kabir, now teaming up with Telugu superstar Jr NTR. The buzz was instant, with trade folks already talking about a ₹1000 crore hit thanks to the combined pull of Bollywood and Tollywood stars.

But here’s the thing: with just four days left before release, the advance sales haven’t exactly lived up to the hype. Overseas bookings started about 10 days ago, kicking off in North America, usually a solid market for Telugu films and Jr NTR’s fans. Still, early numbers were underwhelming. High ticket prices and the fact that fans could use passes from day one probably put a damper on advance sales. Other overseas spots are doing a bit better, but nothing like the excitement that followed the announcement.

Back home in India, limited bookings opened on the night of August 9, but only about 10% of seats in North India have been snapped up so far. The full booking push kicks off August 10, with the Telugu states waiting for government nods on ticket price hikes before opening their sales on August 11.

On top of that, War 2 is up against Coolie, another big film that’s been generating strong buzz. But surprisingly, YRF has kept War 2’s promotions low-key. The lead stars haven’t been out touring or promoting much. There’s talk that some viewers are feeling a bit tired of the Spy Universe, especially after Tiger 3 didn’t quite hit the mark.

To shake things up, the makers are hosting a grand pre-release event today in Hyderabad, August 10, with Hrithik and Jr NTR sharing the stage. Everyone’s watching to see if this splashy event can kickstart stronger advance bookings before the August 14 release. How that plays out will tell us a lot about the film’s opening week.