Hrithik Roshan, Jr NTR to feature in ‘War 2’

New Delhi: Actors Hrithik Roshan and Jr NTR will be seen in War 2, the next instalment in the Spy Universe created by Yash Raj Films. War 2 will be directed by Ayan Mukerji.

Grandson of actor and politician, N. T. Rama Rao Sr. who was also the former chief minister of Andhra Pradesh, Jr NTR appeared as a child actor in films such as Brahmarshi Viswamitra (1991), and Ramayanam (1997), the latter winning the National Film Award for Best Children’s Film for that year. He made his debut as a lead actor with Ninnu Choodalani (2001) and rose to prominence with the coming-of-age film Student No. 1 (2001) and the action drama Aadi (2002).

Over the years, Jr NTR has established himself as a leading actor in Telugu cinema with movies such as Simhadri (2003), Rakhi (2006), Yamadonga (2007), Adhurs (2010), Brindavanam (2010), Baadshah (2013), Temper (2015), Nannaku Prematho (2016), Janatha Garage (2016), Jai Lava Kusa (2017), Aravinda Sametha Veera Raghava (2018), and RRR (2022), the latter being his highest-grossing release. In 2017, he hosted the first season of the Telugu language reality TV show Bigg Boss.

Trade experts say that post pandemic everyone has realised that big screen experience matters a lot. Be it Baahubali, RRR or Hollywood spectacles like Avatar: The Way of Water, audiences know that the thrill of watching a big-ticket, larger-than-life experience is unmatched, even though OTT (over-the-top) streaming platforms have thrown up compelling content consistently. Further, filmmakers and studios in the south have caught on to the formula of adding a big north Indian star to their cast, like an Akshay Kumar alongside Rajinikanth in 2.0 and releasing the movie in multiple languages.

Bringing multiple language stars together just expands the market for an individual film, makes it more viable and adds to revenue sources like satellite, digital, music and merchandise rights.