“War 2” Slows Down on Day 3 but Joins ₹200 Crore Club—Still Trails Behind Rajinikanth’s “Coolie”

 Mumbai, August 17, 2025 — After a roaring start over Independence Day weekend, War 2—the high-voltage spy thriller starring Hrithik Roshan and Jr NTR—registered a sharp drop in collections on Day 3, yet managed to shatter box office records overseas and within India.

Box Office Numbers: Impressive... with a Dip

The film, part of Yash Raj Films' Spy Universe, opened strong at ₹52 crore nationwide on Thursday. Buoyed by Independence Day, Friday saw collections climb to ₹57.35 crore. However, Saturday marked a 42% decline, with estimated earnings plummeting to approximately ₹33 crore across all languages.

Despite the slowdown, War 2 crossed the ₹140 crore net mark in India within just three days, and global gross crossed the ₹200 crore threshold—an impressive feat despite the dip.

Regional Performance: Mixed but Notable

The Hindi version remained the revenue leader, while Jr NTR’s presence brought strong traction in Telugu-speaking regions. The Telugu version alone earned an estimated ₹35 crore in three days, showing robust regional support. Tamil occupancy averaged around 49%, while Hindi had only about 31% occupancy on Saturday. Cities like Hyderabad, Chennai, and Bengaluru outperformed Delhi and Mumbai.

The “Coolie” Effect: Rajinikanth Dominates the Box Office

Despite the promising start, War 2 is being outpaced by Rajinikanth’s Coolie. Globally, "Coolie" crossed the ₹300 crore mark in just three days, cementing its blockbuster status.

 Though "War 2" briefly overtook it on Friday in some metrics, Coolie regained the lead on Saturday with higher earnings.

Overseas & Piracy Concerns

Internationally, War 2 added another ₹45 crore, bringing its worldwide gross to around ₹215 crore at the end of Day 3. Its North American pre-sales reached approximately ₹2.5 crore, signaling early global interest. 

However, the film also ran into trouble with piracy—with unauthorized low-resolution copies circulating online soon after its release, raising concerns about potential revenue losses.

Star Responses & Industry Context

Amid the box office battle, Hrithik Roshan thanked fans, saying the audience cheers “made my heart fuller.” Jr NTR echoed the sentiment, calling the audience’s love “incredible.” While War 2 hasn’t outmatched benchmarks set by earlier Spy Universe films like Pathaan or Tiger, it remains one of 2025’s most successful Bollywood releases—especially for being Jr NTR’s Hindi film debut.

What Lies Ahead

With Day 3 numbers dipping, attention now turns to Sunday—traditionally crucial for weekend earnings. Analysts suggest a strong performance on Day 4 might push the film past ₹150 crore domestically.

Still, balancing the hefty ₹400 crore production cost, "War 2" has much ground to make up before breaking even. Its future hinges on consistent performance in the coming days.