WAR 2 Own Release in Telugu, Breakeven 90 Crores

The much-awaited film War 2, starring Jr. NTR and Hrithik Roshan together for the first time, is set to release in just two months. As excitement grows, discussions about the film’s business and release plans have also picked up.

According to trade sources, the producers, Yash Raj Films, have decided to release the movie themselves in the Telugu states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.

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They chose not to sell the distribution rights to local distributors. This move is unusual and shows their strong confidence in the film’s potential. However, it also involves a huge financial risk.

The theatrical rights in the Telugu states are estimated to be worth around 90 crores which means the film has to do a business of 180-200 crores gross in Telugu states.

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Usually, Jr. NTR’s huge star power would easily cover this amount. But War 2 is not a typical Telugu film. It has a Bollywood-style vibe and a story that suits the Hindi-speaking audience more.

The highest-grossing Hindi film in the Telugu states is Animal, which collected a gross of around 160 crores.

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The Hindi version did about 75 crores, while the Telugu version collected around 85 crores. The Sandeep Reddy Vanga factor played a big role and here NTR has to do the same.

So, War 2 has to surpass Animal in the Telugu states to break even, which is not difficult considering NTR’s craze. But NTR has to shine in the film and have terrific elevation scenes for the Telugu masses to go crazy.

If that doesn’t happen, the Telugu audience might take the film lightly as just another Bollywood film.

The director, Ayan Mukerji, is also known for his Hindi films, which are not typically “massy” films. Because of this, the usual Telugu audience might not connect with the film as much. This makes the situation tricky.

Another challenge is the tough competition from Coolie, directed by Lokesh Kanagaraj. It stars Rajinikanth, Nagarjuna, Upendra, and Aamir Khan.

This film is already creating huge buzz in the South. Lokesh Kanagaraj’s name is a strong brand there. Such strong competition could affect War 2’s box office collections in the Telugu states.

If Yash Raj Films had sold the dubbing or distribution rights as usual, they would have made profits upfront and avoided risks. But by choosing to release the film themselves, they are taking a big gamble on War 2’s success.

This means they will need to work harder on marketing and promotions in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. NTR is expected to lead these efforts as this is his most crucial project to establish himself as a pan-India hero.

The teaser for War 2 received a poor response, as NTR paled in comparison to Hrithik Roshan, and the VFX were poor for a high-budget film like War 2.

The team believes the upcoming trailer might change the game. Meanwhile, arrangements for theaters across India are moving forward, aiming for a smooth release.

Overall, War 2 faces a tough race at the box office, especially in the Telugu states. Much depends on how well it connects with the local audience amid strong competition.