Film Review
By SUNITA VIJAY
By the time the end credits roll, you realize War 2 isn’t just another testosterone- charged actioner in the YRF Spy-Verse; it’s a rallying cry. Ayan Mukerji’s direction, Aditya Chopra’s production, and the electric pairing of Hrithik Roshan and Jr. NTR make this Independence Day weekend offering a true vindication of the “India First” theme.
If Tom Cruise happens to watch War 2, he’ll probably breathe easy about retiring the Mission Impossible series this year. Because here’s the truth: War 2 is a spy thriller on steroids, leaving audiences roaring and laughing even if logic takes a back seat. YRF’s spy universe has cherry-picked the best action grammar from Hollywood and added masala so fiery that only Hrithik’s heptagonal sunglasses could shade the heat. Think Somali pirates annihilated to the beats of ‘Shaitaan’, a wolf-guarded Japanese mafia blazed in the snow-clad mountains, European car chases, a train crashing into a tunnel, iconic face-offs atop a majestic bridge, amphibious speedboats, and even a duel on top of a midflight airplane.
All through the 2 hours 50 minutes, the film refuses to take its foot off the pedal. Yes, the VFX at times feels 2010s videogame level but the film draws both awes and some unintentional chuckles. I enjoyed the world tour, I was entertained every second, I felt like dancing to the high-octane background score and appreciated Bollywood’s attempt to keep the stakes modern as the villain ‘Kali’ is a faceless consortium, an insidious multinational syndicate that views democracy as archaic and seeks to control economies and nations overtly.
Was I let down by the gap between promise and payoff? Absolutely. War 2, first teased in Tiger 3’s post-credits, had hinted at Kabir straddling the tantalizing grey – flirting with the dark side and possibly risking a fall within, wrestling with right and wrong, perhaps even locking horns with the Devil. What arrived instead, though sprinkled with its fair share of crosses and double-crosses, never truly ventured into those murky depths. Yet, in trading moral complexity for unabashed spectacle, the film still managed to deliver the escapist thrill ride audiences secretly crave.
In War 2, ‘Greek God’ Hrithik meets ‘Young Tiger’ NTR. Hrithik Roshan’s Kabir older, salt-and-pepper streaks near his temples teasing boosted hotness, and still impossibly fluid on the dance floor – remains the coolest spy in the universe. His boho attire and “high-tripping” moves in “Janaab-e-Aali” make you forget logic and you just sway.
Jr. NTR as Vikram, a RAW operative, is dynamite charismatic, aggressive, and providing a massy counterweight to Hrithik’s suave edge. His entry sequence slams the movie into turbo mode. Their bromance, peppered with Kabir’s origin backstory, is as endearing as their shared mayhem is entertaining. Kiara Advani’s Kavya is introduced as an Air Force ace whose bikini shot is almost as lethal as her celebrated service. Age-defying timelines aside, she holds her own, and her love ballad with Kabir in “Aavan Jaavan” is mesmerizing. Anil Kapoor, playing RAW chief Vikrant Kaul, anchors the chaos with gravitas, while Ashutosh Rana continues to be a dependable presence. Varun Badola, in his role of India’s defence minister Sarang, does an immaculate job as always!
Pritam’s songs worm into your head. The background score from the Balhara brothers is pulse-racing and keeps the adrenaline flowing. And then there’s Janaab- e-Aali/Tripping High – a polished, contemporary dance anthem that, dare I say, outpaces NTR’s Oscar winning Naatu Naatu, in both its vibe and hook step. Really, what could be more meta than a track with a chorus literally saying “I’m tripping high, high, high” paired with Hrithik’s effortlessly fluid moves and NTR’s passionate dancing. Social media is raving about it, and I bet coastal whites, flowy linens, and comfy sport shoes will be the preferred attire for dancing hereon! ‘Bosco Martis’ choreography has urban flair, it’s sleek, stylish, and irresistibly hip – this one belongs to dance floors worldwide.
War 2 is loud, illogical, unapologetic, and utterly entertaining. In an OTT era drowning us in gritty realism., Mukerji’s film proves that cinema is still about spectacle, about cheering with strangers in a packed hall, about walking out proud with “India First” ringing in your ears. Paisa vasool? Absolutely. And yes, please do stay back after the credits. Trust me. Big things brew.
