In The News

BOLLYWOOD: TWO FILMS, TWO FLAWED JOURNEYS

BOLLYWOOD: TWO FILMS, TWO FLAWED JOURNEYS

by Arnab Banerjee August 17 2025, 12:00 am Estimated Reading Time: 7 mins, 13 secs

War 2 and Tehran both promise high-octane entertainment and politically charged drama but falter under bloated storytelling, uneven execution, and overambitious plotting despite star power, strong cinematography, and occasional gripping moments. Arnab Banerjee reviews both the films.

War 2 and Tehran, the latest Hindi film releases, attempt to redefine Indian action and espionage cinema with star-studded casts and global backdrops. While Ayan Mukerji’s War 2 dazzles visually with Hrithik Roshan and Jr NTR’s star power, it collapses under excessive spectacle and weak emotional beats. Arun Gopalan’s Tehran, fronted by John Abraham, tries to humanize geopolitics and espionage but stumbles with narrative clutter and uneven pacing. Both films highlight Bollywood’s ambition to merge international aesthetics with local storytelling but reveal the pitfalls of overindulgence, making them flawed yet noteworthy additions to India’s cinematic landscape. 

War 2

Chopra’s aiming for pan-India domination misfires

Directed by: Ayan Mukerji

Cast: Hrithik Roshan (aka Glorious Jawline), Jr NTR (aka SmoulderingIntensity), Kiara Advani, Ashutosh Rana, Varun Badola

Cinematography: Benjamin Jasper

Songs: Pritam (bringing the vibes)

Score: Sanchit & Ankit Balhara (a.k.a. the Balhara Bros)

Rating: ★★☆☆☆ (2 stars, because one star alone can’t carry this much action)

Let’s begin with a universal truth: a film doesn’t necessarily need a new idea. Sometimes, all it takes is a snazzy new coat of paint, some brooding stares, an international flight or six, and voilà! You have a fresh treatment. Or so one hopes.

Enter: War 2. The sequel to 2019’s War has been handed over to Ayan Mukerji, who trades in time travel (Brahmāstra flashbacks, anyone?) for testosterone, tactical, and tight t-shirts. Taking the reins from Siddharth Anand, Mukerji attempts to inject some emotional heft into the franchise, perhaps believing that what this series really needed was… feelings. The result? A three-hour cocktail of high-octane set-pieces, soul-searching monologues, and chase sequences that last longer than most gym memberships.

The story—scribbled by Aditya Chopra, Shridhar Raghavan, and Abbas Tyrewala (and possibly edited during a skydiving sequence)—spins around Kabir Dhaliwal (Hrithik Roshan), once the poster boy of Indian intelligence, now an off-grid, rogue heartthrob with a conscience and a husky. Yes, a dog. Because what's a war hero without a furry sidekick who trusts him more than the Indian government does?

On the other side of the battlefield is Vikram (Jr NTR), a man forged in discipline, mystery, and a particularly intense glare. He's brought in to hunt Kabir down after Kabir is accused of betraying the nation—a fairly serious charge, even by Bollywood standards.

And thus begins a globe-trotting, logic-defying game of cat and mouse—or should we say, bro vs. bro—with stops in Amsterdam, Manali, Valencia, Yas Island, and Davos, for reasons that seem less plot-related and more like Mukerji’s vacation checklist.

Meanwhile… Kiara Advani's Kavya is the grieving daughter of Colonel Luthra (Ashutosh Rana), bent on revenge and apparently in possession of her own subplot that gets wedged between car chases like an unwanted side salad. There's also an ominous villain collective named Kali (not to be confused with your neighborhood WhatsApp group) plotting to assassinate the Prime Minister. Because why not throw in national security stakes when you already have scenic drone shots and beefcake brawls?

The action sequences? Slick, choreographed with almost religious reverence, and filmed with enough slow motion to make Zack Snyder blush. At first, they dazzle. Then they dawdle. Eventually, they start to feel like two gym bros at a CrossFit competition, endlessly punching each other while pausing for flex breaks.

Yes, there is a plot buried somewhere beneath the rubble of broken glass, flying SUVs, and shirtless revelations. But trying to follow it is like attempting to thread a needle during an earthquake.

The writing credits, proudly shared by three talented minds, feel like the cinematic equivalent of three chefs trying to cook a chicken curry — one insists on coconut milk, another wants garam masala, and the third just dumps hot sauce and leaves. The result? A dish with potential, but one that's neither spicy nor satisfying.

On the plus side, Benjamin Jasper’s cinematography ensures that every location looks like a luxury tourism ad, and Pritam’s music tries valiantly to add some soul to the proceedings. Unfortunately, the emotional beats often land with all the subtlety of a missile strike.

Final Verdict – War 2:

Ambitious, glossy, and occasionally gripping, War 2 is a bloated bromance disguised as a geopolitical thriller. Fans of Hrithik Roshan and Jr NTR may enjoy the spectacle, but viewers seeking coherent storytelling or depth will find themselves lost in the noise.

  

Tehran

A Politically Charged Thriller with Uneven Execution but Gripping Moments

Director: Arun Gopalan

Cast: John Abraham, Neeru Bajwa, Manushi Chhillar, Madhurima Tuli, Alyy Khan, Elnaaz Norouzi, Dinkar Sharma, Quashik Mukherjee, Ido Samuel, Ashwin Kaushal, Sushil Khatri, Hadi Khanjanpour

Cinematography: Ievgen Gubrebko, Andre Menezes

Rating: ★★☆☆ (2/5)

Tehran, directed by Arun Gopalan and produced by Dinesh Vijan, Shobhna Yadav, and Sandeep Leyzell, is another addition to the growing catalogue of Indian espionage thrillers inspired by real-world geopolitical tensions. This one takes on the 2012 attacks on Israeli diplomats, using them as a launchpad for a fictional yet politically steeped narrative set against the volatile backdrop of Iran-Israel hostilities.

John Abraham: Back in Familiar Territory

Over the past decade, John Abraham has become something of a regular fixture in action-diplomatic thrillers — and Tehran continues this trajectory. In the role of DCP Rajeev Kumar, Abraham plays a tormented officer who dives headfirst into a complex international conspiracy after a bomb blast in Delhi kills an innocent flower-seller. The event serves as a catalyst, pushing him into an unsanctioned and personal mission of justice.

Rajeev is portrayed as an emotionally scarred, instinct-driven officer — described by his superiors as “insane” and unpredictable. However, he still manages to operate through the system with support from key allies like RAW officer Sheilaja (Neeru Bajwa), Divya (Manushi Chhillar), and Vijay (Dinker Sharma). Abraham delivers a grounded performance, perhaps one of his more nuanced in recent times, avoiding his usual hyper-masculine tropes in favour of a more introspective approach.

Plot: Ambitious but Overstuffed

Written by Bindiya Karia with a screenplay co-authored by Karia and Ritesh Shah, Tehran aims to tackle the complexities of global diplomacy, espionage, and moral ambiguity. The film shines in moments that emphasize the emotional and psychological toll of covert warfare. There's a welcome effort to humanize the people caught in the crossfire, particularly civilians who become mere footnotes in geopolitical power struggles.

However, the narrative is sometimes burdened by its own ambition. The film attempts to juggle too many threads — intelligence operations, diplomatic tensions, personal trauma, and ideological clashes — often without fully resolving them. The pacing stutters in the middle act, and certain character arcs, particularly those of the supporting cast, feel underdeveloped or rushed.

Action and Aesthetics: Brutal, Gritty, Effective

Gopalan doesn’t shy away from the grim realities of intelligence work. Some interrogation scenes, while brutal, are presented without sensationalism — they’re treated as standard operating procedure, which in itself raises ethical questions the film only lightly touches upon. From power corridors in Delhi to the shadowy streets of Tehran, the cinematography is sharp, capturing the tension and unease that permeate the story.

Music and Sound: A Mixed Bag

The film’s background score, composed by Ketan Sodha, works well in heightening the suspense, though it occasionally leans too heavily on genre clichés. The original soundtrack by Tanishk Bagchi, with lyrics by Irshad Kamil, includes the popular single Ishq Bukhaar, which has found favour particularly with younger audiences. While melodious, it feels somewhat misplaced within the otherwise sombre tone of the film.

Performances: Solid Across the Board

Neeru Bajwa brings quiet strength to her role as Sheilaja, while Manushi Chhillar, in one of her more promising performances, shows potential as Divya. Dinker Sharma lends credibility to his part as the loyal team member. Alyy Khan and Qaushik Mukherjee as senior officials add gravitas, although their characters could have benefited from more development. Elnaaz Norouzi and the rest of the ensemble play their parts competently, though the large cast sometimes feels underutilized.

Final Verdict – Tehran:

Tehran is not without flaws — uneven pacing, narrative clutter, and a tendency to gloss over complex political realities in favour of dramatic effect. But it engages with strong visuals, solid performances, and moments of genuine intensity, making it a worthwhile if imperfect entry into India’s espionage thriller space.    




Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of thedailyeye.info. The writers are solely responsible for any claims arising out of the contents of this article.