Hrithik Roshan returns as Kabir, a secret agent like no other, who infiltrates a powerful global syndicate that wants to rule the world. The film War 2 sets out to feebly suggest that democracy is far too an outdated idea for the corporate villain. For a change, it promises to put Hrithik in a morally ambiguous space, but as the mood is jingoistic and the star wants to play safe, the not-so-secret sauce of the script is ‘nation first’.
The secret agent Kabir is accused of betraying the nation when he infiltrates a cartel, and his erstwhile mate Vikram alias Raghu (NTR Jr) is assigned the task of catching him red handed. Alas, the makers prove more successful in highlighting Kiara Advani’s curves than in conveying the contours of the storyline. It features a variety of stunts with a script that appears to be powered by artificial intelligence.
This unintelligent sequel to War, gives the same feeling of a recycled product that shines. It starts with a bang but soon becomes a rudderless star vehicle. In the race to populate the spy universe, screenwriters have compromised on substance, indulging in hero worship and flag-waving to pass the box office test. Yes, the trailer looks attractive, the stars shine bright, and the post-credit scenes are appetizing.
The film which has an insipid story by Aditya Chopra and unimpressive and clustered screenplay by Shridhar Raghvaan and Abbas Tyrewala fails to engage the viewer too after a very impressive beginning which makes you get a hitherto not – seen high adrenalin. After his last effort- Brahmastra, this one takes Ayaan down by several notches, making you question even his credibility as a filmmaker, especially as the conflict remains plastic, not at all organic and what’s more cosmetic. It doesn’t grow on us and gradually devolves into a mere rhetorical war of words.
While Hrithik Roshan is plastic whenever he appears, NTR Jr at least shows some promise in this very first appearance of his in a Hindi film. Kiara Advani is all oomph and fails to show any histrionics in her tiny two-piece bikini. Though this much hyped sequel to “War” (2019) and the sixth entry in Yash Raj Films’ inter-connected Spy Universe — gives its screen stars larger-than-life introductions, it denies them much beneath the surface, and in the process, fails to imbue its scattered action with human stakes beyond nebulous jingoism. And it ends with a signal that it is going to bite us back with a sequel too with Bobby Deol. Running time 173 minutes
Review by Jyothi Venkatesh
Cast of WAR 2:
Hrithik Roshan as Major Kabir Dhaliwal
N T Rama Rao Jr as Major Vikram helapathi
Kiara Advani as Wing Commander Kavya Luthra
Ashutosh Rana as Colonel Sunil Luthra
Anil Kapoor as Vikrant Kaul, Chief of RAW
Manthan Darji as young Kabir
Hearty Singh as young Vikram
Varun Badola as Defence Minister Vilasrao Sarang
Arista Mehta as Ruhi Sahni
K C Shankar as Gautam Gulati
Reshma Bombaywala as Contractor
Vijay Vikram Singh as Military officer
Karan Kishore as Karan, a RAW agent
Imroz Maur as Imroz, a RAW agent
Credits of WAR 2:
Production company – Yash Raj Films
Directed by Ayan Mukerji
Screenplay by Shridhar Raghavan
Dialogues by Abbas Tyrewala
Story by Aditya Chopra
Produced by Aditya Chopra
Cinematography Benjamin Jasper
Edited by Aarif Sheikh
Music by Pritam
Score – Sanchit Balhara and Ankit Balhara
