The team behind ‘War 2’ is keeping its two leading men, Hrithik Roshan and Jr NTR, far away from each other during the film’s promotional activities. And it is no coincidence.
The makers, led by Yash Raj Films (YRF), believe that the intense rivalry between Hrithik and NTR Jr’s characters is the heart of the film. To preserve the impact of that onscreen hostility, both actors will promote the film separately, never appearing together in interviews, stage events, or videos before the film’s release.
“This is a first-of-its-kind moment in Indian cinema. Hrithik and NTR Jr’s showdown in ‘War 2’ is epic, and the makers want audiences to witness that fiery face-off with zero dilution,” said a senior trade insider to the media.
The idea is to maintain the illusion of enmity between the two stars until the audience finally sees them clash on the big screen.
It’s a deliberate decision, not a personal issue, and it fits within YRF’s larger strategy for its growing Spy Universe.
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“YRF has always taken unconventional routes to build anticipation. For example, during ‘Pathaan’, Shah Rukh Khan didn’t attend any media events. Instead, they used short online clips to keep audiences intrigued,” the source added. “Even in the first ‘War’, Hrithik and Tiger Shroff weren’t together publicly until after the film’s release. That suspense worked brilliantly.”
‘War 2’ is the latest addition to the YRF Spy Universe, which has seen massive successes with films like ‘Ek Tha Tiger’, ‘War’, ‘Tiger Zinda Hai’, and ‘Pathaan’. Each film is interconnected, featuring recurring agents and storylines, much like Hollywood’s Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Directed by ‘Brahmastra’ filmmaker Ayan Mukerji, ‘War 2’ is ready to hit theatres worldwide on August 14, 2025, just ahead of India’s Independence Day, with a grand IMAX release planned.
The film has backing of YRF head Aditya Chopra and is likely to be one of the biggest action spectacles in Indian cinema.