Review: War 2 – A Bromance-Filled Action Film!

Remakes and sequels are the order of the day for Bollywood. Moreover, after South Indian dubbed films started tasting box office success, Bollywood worked out a formula of blending star power from both industries to draw bigger footfalls. #HrithikRoshan and #TigerShroff starrer War was a successful film, so naturally the makers thought of a sequel – War 2 – which brings together one Bollywood superstar and one South superstar. This time, Hrithik Roshan teams up with NTR in a film directed by Ayan Mukerji under YRF’s Spy Universe. It’s a bromance-filled action entertainer, but one that somewhat lacks soul.

The film begins with Kabir aka Kabbu (Hrithik Roshan), a RAW agent, making a dramatic entry and eliminating a Japanese don in his own backyard. Similarly, Raghu (NTR) gets an equally flamboyant introduction, hanging shirtless from an airplane to take down a villain. The two eventually come face to face and fight, with the action sequences stretched longer than necessary. The backstory reveals that both were once together in a remand home. Kabir is picked up by Colonel Luthra (Ashutosh Rana) to serve the motto “India First,” while Raghu, who joins as Major Vikram, prioritizes “Raghu First.” After innumerable foreign locales for chase and fight sequences, the protagonist persuades the antagonist to switch sides.

Though everything on screen looks ‘Chakachak’, the interwoven screenplay tends to confuse the audience. The director has kept the pace so high that there’s hardly time to think about the proceedings. The dialogues shine in a few moments, and the music is good, especially the songs Aavan Jaavan and Janabe Ali. However, the background score is unnecessarily loud.

Hrithik looks fabulous, and his fans will swoon over his chiseled physique. His action and dancing are excellent. NTR matches Hrithik in every department, and their dance-off is a highlight worth watching. Kiara Advani looks sweet, and her bikini avatar adds charm to her persona. Despite limited screen time, she impresses with her performance, including action scenes. Anil Kapoor, Ashutosh Rana, and Varun Badola lend solid support.

War 2 will surely regale Hrithik and NTR’s fans.

Rating : ***

By Keerti Kadam