War 2 Box office collection day 5: Hrithik Roshan’s movie inches closer to Rajinikanth’s Coolie, needs Rs… more – Will it pass Monday test?

Yash Raj Films’ action franchise War returned with a bang this Independence Day, and expectations couldn’t have been higher. With Hrithik Roshan reprising his role and South superstar Jr NTR making his much-anticipated Bollywood debut, War 2 was always going to open strong. And it did. The film hit theatres on August 14 and raked in massive numbers over the first four days. But here’s the catch: after that initial rush, the momentum is starting to slow down.

War 2’s Big Earnings in the First Four Days

The first weekend proved that War 2 was a genuine crowd-puller. By the end of Sunday, the film had already earned more than Rs 174 crore, a staggering figure that highlighted just how much hype surrounded the sequel.

On its opening day, the film stormed the box office with Rs 52 crore, which included Rs 29 crore from the Hindi belt and Rs 22.75 crore from the Telugu-speaking regions. Friday added another Rs 57.35 crore, showing that audiences weren’t just coming out for the holiday but were genuinely excited to watch Roshan and Jr NTR share the screen.

Saturday, Janmashtami, brought in a festive crowd, though the film’s collections dipped slightly to Rs 33.25 crore. Still, theatres remained packed across metros and tier-2 cities. On Sunday, the film held steady, earning Rs 32.15 crore. At this point, it looked like War 2 was well on its way to shattering records.

The Monday Test Brings a Reality Check

Then came Monday, the true test of any big-budget film. And like so many blockbusters before it, War 2 couldn’t quite escape the weekday slowdown. Collections fell sharply, with the film earning just Rs 6.66 crore across all three languages—Hindi, Telugu, and Tamil.

This isn’t unusual, but given the film’s sky-high budget of Rs 300 crore, the drop raises questions. To date, War 2 has collected Rs 181.41 crore in India over five days, according to sacnilk.com. It’s an impressive haul on paper, but for a film of this scale, the pressure is enormous. Without steady numbers in the second week, crossing the profit line may be tougher than expected.

Star Power and High Stakes

Directed by Ayan Mukerji, War 2 is part of the ambitious Yash Raj Spy Universe, which already includes Pathaan and Tiger 3. The stakes here aren’t just about one film—they’re about maintaining the momentum of a connected franchise.

Hrithik Roshan brings back his action hero swagger, and Jr NTR’s Bollywood debut is nothing short of powerful. Fans in both the North and South came out in droves to see their favorite stars together. Alongside them, Kiara Advani, Anil Kapoor, and Ashutosh Rana round out a strong supporting cast.

But even with all this talent, box office sustainability ultimately depends on content. Word-of-mouth will decide if War 2 becomes a long-term hit or fizzles after the opening week.

War 2 vs Rajinikanth’s Coolie

Complicating things further is the release of Rajinikanth’s Coolie, which has been unstoppable at the box office. By Monday, Coolie had already crossed Rs 200 crore, overtaking War 2 and eating into its collections in the South.

For Hrithik and Jr NTR’s film, this competition has been particularly fierce in Telugu and Tamil markets, where Rajinikanth’s dominance is almost unshakable. By August 18, the gap between Coolie and War 2 stood at Rs 19 crore, according to early trade reports.

Can War 2 Survive the Second Week?

The big question now: can War 2 bounce back? The film was expected to hit the Rs 200 crore mark comfortably within its first week, but the Monday drop has delayed that milestone. All eyes are on Tuesday and Wednesday collections. If the film manages to cross Rs 200 crore by mid-week, it will signal stability and give Yash Raj a reason to celebrate.

Still, competition is fierce, and with Coolie running strong, War 2 will have to lean heavily on word-of-mouth to keep audiences returning. At the end of the day, glossy action and star power can bring crowds for a weekend, but it’s story and execution that keep them coming back.