War 2 (film)

War 2 is a 2025 Indian Hindi-language action-thriller film directed by Ayan Mukerji and produced by Aditya Chopra under Yash Raj Films. Based on a script written by Shridhar Raghavan and Abbas Tyrewala, from an original story by Chopra, it is the sixth instalment in the YRF Spy Universe and sequel to the 2019 film War. The film stars Hrithik Roshan, N. T. Rama Rao Jr. (in his Hindi film debut) and Kiara Advani in the lead roles, alongside Ashutosh Rana and Anil Kapoor in pivotal roles. It follows Kabir Dhaliwal, a former RAW agent, who, after going rogue, becomes a major threat to national security, and a special units officer, Vikram Chelapathi, is assigned to neutralize him.

Principal photography took place from October 2023 and July 2025. The film was shot extensively in Mumbai with sporadic schedules taking place in Spain, Italy and Abu Dhabi. The film's soundtrack is composed by Pritam while Sanchit Balhara and Ankit Balhara composed the film score. Made on an estimated budget of ₹300–400 crore, it is one of the most expensive Indian films ever made.

War 2 was released on 14 August 2025, coinciding with the Indian Independence Day weekend, and received negative reviews from critics who criticised the story, screenplay, direction, and visual effects, but praised the cast performances and action sequences. The film underperformed at the box office, grossing ₹303–351 crore worldwide. Nonetheless, it emerged as the fifth highest-grossing Hindi film of 2025, and sixth highest-grossing Indian film of 2025.

Plot

In 2024, five years after going rogue and eliminating Saurabh and Rizwan Ilyasi, Kabir operates as a freelance mercenary for various international clients. After assassinating a gangster in Japan, he goes to meet a client in Germany, who drugs and transports him to India, where he is introduced to the Kali Cartel — a powerful criminal syndicate comprising members from India and its neighboring countries, aiming to infiltrate and control the Indian government. The cartel requests Kabir’s assistance, unaware that two years earlier Colonel Sunil Luthra had secretly tasked him with infiltrating the organization, creating the public perception that Kabir was a rogue agent and no longer affiliated with RAW.

Kabir’s first assignment from the cartel is to assassinate Luthra. Luthra himself coerces Kabir into carrying out the act, which Kabir does with deep emotional conflict. This earns Kabir the trust of the cartel, and he is sent to meet the Indian leader of the cartel — businessman Gautam Gulati. Meanwhile, RAW receives footage of Kabir killing Luthra, and Colonel Vikrant Kaul is appointed as the new RAW chief. Wing Commander Kavya, Luthra’s daughter and Kabir’s former lover, joins the team assigned to track him and swears revenge on seeing the footage. On the recommendation of Defence Minister Vilasrao Sarang, Special Unit Officer Major Vikram Chelapathi is also recruited to the team.

Kabir is later tracked in Spain, where he is visiting his adoptive daughter Ruhi. Vikram pursues Kabir onto a high-speed train, but allows him to escape moments before the train crashes. Kabir and Ruhi visit Khalid's house to ensure Ruhi's safety with Khalid's mother. At the ISIS training camp in Yemen, Gulati subsequently orders Kabir to assassinate Sarang's family aboard a chartered flight to pressure the minister. Following a deliberate clue left by Kabir, Vikram meets him privately and learns the truth about Kabir’s mission, agreeing to aid him. Kabir hijacks the flight with a stealth bomber and, with Vikram’s help, kills the attackers. However, Vikram reveals himself as a member of the cartel — murders them, ejects Kabir from the plane, and addresses him cryptically as “Kaboo,” causing Kabir to remember his troubled past.

In 1999, a 14-year-old Kabir is left homeless in the slums of Mumbai after his widowed father commits suicide. He befriends Raghu, and the two are arrested during a robbery, eventually both ending up in a juvenile detention center. Luthra, then an army major, visits to motivate the inmates to join the army. Kabir and Raghu pass the physical tests, but Raghu fails the emotional evaluation for prioritizing himself over the country. Kabir enlists in the army with Luthra’s support, leaving Raghu behind. Feeling betrayed, Raghu escapes detention – And Raghu is none other than Vikram Chelapathi.

In the present, Kabir tracks Gulati in Abu Dhabi and attempts to assassinate him. Raghu intervenes, kills Gulati, and frames Kabir for the murder in RAW’s eyes. After a boat chase, Kabir escapes. He later reunites with Kavya in Italy, revealing his mission and Vikram’s true identity. When Kavya tries to alert Sarang, the pair are attacked and realize Sarang himself is part of the cartel. Sarang had orchestrated Raghu’s infiltration and the murder of his own family to gain public sympathy and secure his path to becoming Prime Minister. Kabir and Kavya are rescued by Kaul.

At the World Economic Forum in Davos, Sarang and Vikram plan to assassinate the Prime Minister. Kabir shoots and kills Sarang, but spares Raghu, who later recovers in the hospital. The event is cancelled, and Kavya and Kaul prepare to take the Prime Minister back to Delhi, when they are attacked by the cartel impersonating as security officers, but Kavya and Kaul finish them and leave for Delhi. Following a face-off in an ice cave, Raghu confesses his resentment towards Kabir for “betraying” him in their youth despite always supporting him. Kabir, recognizing Raghu’s lingering humanity, convinces him to help dismantle the cartel. Meanwhile, upon landing in Delhi, Kaul announces to the public that both Sarang and Vikram, who is declared a martyr, were killed by Kabir.

Nine months later, Raghu is revealed to be alive and secretly helps Kabir execute all the remaining cartel leaders. The two part ways, agreeing to reunite if a new threat emerges. Kabir assures Kaul he will always serve his country and rekindles his relationship with Kavya.

In the post-credits scene, an unidentified man tattoos the Greek letter α on a young girl’s arm, inducting her into a covert government program called Alpha.

Cast

Production

Development

At the launch party of War in October 2019, when asked about a sequel, director Siddharth Anand confirmed he was working on the script and had plans to convert the film into a franchise, depending on the audience's response to the film. In April 2023, Yash Raj Films confirmed the sequel and sixth instalment in the universe titled War 2. Ayan Mukerji was signed as the director replacing Anand, marking his first film in the universe, and first venture outside of Dharma Productions.

Casting

Shanoo Sharma was the casting director. Hrithik Roshan reprises his role from War. N. T. Rama Rao Jr. was cast in April 2023, marking his debut in Hindi cinema. Kiara Advani was cast in July 2023. Ashutosh Rana confirmed he would reprise his role from War and Pathaan (2023). Roshan reprised his role in a cameo appearance in the post-credits scene of Tiger 3 which was directed by Mukerji himself. Anil Kapoor was cast in July 2024. Bobby Deol made a cameo appearance in the post-credits scene of the film. He will reprise his role in the seventh installment of the universe Alpha.

Filming

Principal photography began in October 2023 in Salamanca, where a car chase sequence was filmed. Due to Roshan and Rao having schedules in Mumbai and Hyderabad for Fighter and Devara: Part 1 respectively, stunt doubles were used. In December 2023, filming took place in Abu Dhabi where a boat chase sequence choreographed by Franz Spilhaus was filmed. Additional sequences were filmed at the Yas Marina Circuit.

In March 2024, Roshan shot his introductory sequence in Mumbai. A set resembling a Shaolin Monastery was constructed for the katana fight sequence. In April 2024, Roshan and Rao filmed an aerial action sequence in Vile Parle. In August 2024, Advani filmed an action sequence at the Infiniti Mall, Malad. In September 2024, a 15-day schedule took place in Italy across Venice, Lake Como, Naples, Tuscany, Sorrento Peninsula, and the Amalfi Coast where a song featuring Advani and Roshan along with a few action sequences, were filmed. In October 2024, a 40-man action sequence featuring Rao was shot in Andheri.

The film's climax was shot in December 2024 at Film City and YRF Studios in Mumbai, choreographed by Anal Arasu, Spiro Razatos, Craig Macrae, Se-yeong Oh and Sunil Rodrigues. The dance sequence "Janaab-e-Aali" choreographed by Bosco Martis, was scheduled to be filmed in March 2025 featuring more than 500 background dancers; however, it was delayed after Roshan sustained a leg injury during the rehearsals, and was later filmed in the first week of July 2025. Rao began dubbing in the same month. Filming also wrapped simultaneously.

Music

The soundtrack album consists of 8 compositions, composed by Pritam and Sanchit Balhara and Ankit Balhara; with lyrics written by Amitabh Bhattacharya. The film score was composed by Sanchit and Ankit Balhara. The first single titled "Aavan Jaavan" was released on 31 July 2025. The second single titled "Janaab-e-Aali" was teased on 7 August 2025. The full song premiered in theaters along with the film. The full album was released on 16 August 2025.