Telugu film producer and distributor Naga Vamsi has spoken out about the underwhelming performance of War 2, starring Hrithik Roshan and Jr NTR. Despite being one of the most anticipated pan-India releases of the year, the film failed to make the desired box office impact. Vamsi, who distributed the Telugu version of the film, has openly placed the blame on Yash Raj Films (YRF), calling the failure a “mistake on their side.”
In a recent interview, Vamsi said that both he and Jr NTR had placed immense faith in YRF’s reputation and creative control. “NTR Anna and I trusted YRF blindly, but it misfired. The mistake is on their side, but we faced the heat,” he remarked. The producer emphasized that he had no control over the creative or production decisions and was only responsible for distributing the film in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. Despite this, he bore the brunt of criticism from audiences and industry watchers after the Telugu version failed to meet expectations.
War 2, reportedly made on a budget exceeding ₹400 crore, was positioned as a key installment in YRF’s expanding spy universe. However, the film grossed around ₹364 crore worldwide, falling short of the studio’s projections. In the Telugu-speaking states, the dubbed version managed a first-day collection of approximately ₹22.75 crore, a modest number considering Jr NTR’s massive fan base in the region. Vamsi admitted that he had high hopes for the film, even encouraging Telugu audiences to make it “bigger than the original Hindi version,” but the response didn’t match expectations.
According to Vamsi, several factors contributed to the failure. He believes the storytelling and marketing were not tailored well to regional audiences. “The decisions were made entirely by YRF. We trusted them completely, but the execution didn’t work here,” he said. The distributor added that while mistakes are part of the industry, he hopes the experience will serve as a lesson in better collaboration between Bollywood production houses and regional distributors for future pan-India projects.
The film’s poor performance has also sparked broader discussions in the Indian film industry about the risks of pan-India ventures. While cross-industry collaborations are seen as a path to nationwide success, War 2 demonstrates that a one-size-fits-all approach does not always work. Regional audiences often seek cultural and linguistic authenticity, and failing to adapt can lead to disappointing outcomes even for star-studded projects.
Despite the setback, Vamsi has handled the criticism with grace. He acknowledged that both he and the production team made choices they believed were right at the time. “Everyone makes mistakes,” he said. “We learn, we grow, and we move forward.” As for YRF, the studio has not yet issued any official statement in response to Vamsi’s remarks, but the controversy surrounding War 2 is likely to influence how future pan-India films are strategized and marketed.
