War 2 box office collection Day 1 (early estimates): Hrithik Roshan, Jr NTR starrer off to a strong start
Despite being bashed left, right and centre by critics, War 2 has shown a strong start at the box office on Day 1. Starring Hrithik Roshan, Jr NTR and Kiara Advani in the lead, the film is directed by Ayan Mukerji and is the sixth instalment in the YRF Spy Universe.
War 2 box office collection Day 1: After months of speculation and sky-high expectations, War 2 finally arrived in cinemas on August 14, just in time for the Independence Day weekend. Directed by Ayan Mukerji and produced by Yash Raj Films, the high-octane actioner stars Hrithik Roshan, Jr NTR, and Kiara Advani, with Ashutosh Rana and Anil Kapoor in pivotal roles.
The film marks Jr NTR’s debut in Hindi cinema, which sent his fans into celebration mode, with streets in several cities witnessing grand festivities. However, War 2 faced direct competition from Rajinikanth’s Coolie, which dominated advance bookings with Rs 37.2 crore for Day 1, and War 2 collected Rs 20.57 crore.
War 2 box office collection Day 1 (early estimates)
According to early estimates by trade tracker Sacnilk, War 2 collected around Rs 35.97 crore net across all languages in India on its opening day as of 9 PM on Thursday (August 14). The Hindi version reported an overall occupancy of 23.02%, with morning shows at 16.37%, afternoon at 23.67%, and evening climbing to 29.03%. Premium formats saw varied trends. IMAX 2D recorded 33.19% occupancy, 4DX drew 50.15%, ICE stood at 20.42%, and Dolby Cine trailed at 10.50%.
The Telugu version, buoyed by Jr NTR’s massive fan following, recorded significantly stronger numbers. Overall occupancy was 71.67%, with morning shows at 74.68%, afternoon at 67.66%, and evening at 72.66%. Special formats also performed well, with Telugu 4DX at 64.33% and IMAX 2D at 56.33%. The Tamil version posted mixed figures, registering 27.85% in the morning, peaking at 49.47% in the afternoon, and dipping to 34.44% in the evening.
War 2 vs War box office collection
As the sixth instalment in YRF’s Spy Universe and the sequel to Siddharth Anand’s War (2019), the film carries the weight of an enormous legacy. Its predecessor set the box office on fire with Rs 53.35 crore on opening day and an eventual Rs 471 crore worldwide collection.
Despite the stiff competition from Coolie, the film’s pan-India appeal, star power, and spy-universe connections position it for a robust run in the days ahead. Whether it can match or surpass its predecessor’s record-breaking performance will be the question driving both fans and trade analysts in the weeks to come.