It’s been 5 years since the third movie in the YRF Spy Universe came, broke records and made a permanent place in our hearts. It’s been 5 years since the Hrithik Roshan – Tiger Shroff action caper released and both characters Major Kabir Dhaliwal & Captain Khalid Rahmani never left us. The movie’s unforgettable climax saw Hrithik Roshan’s Kabir acknowledging the true hero of their mission, declaring “Iss War ka asli hero Khalid hai Sir!” to his superior officer Colonel Luthra. And that sentiment clearly resonated with audiences, who witnessed the epic face-off between Hrithik and Tiger Shroff’s dual characters, that has us dropping our jaws every 5 minutes in the film through insane stunts, bike chases, and electrifying dance sequences, with the addition of a shocking plot twist. The film’s massive success established Tiger’s Khalid as an integral part of the War universe, making his absence from the sequel all the more noticeable.
War 2 shifts the dynamics significantly, as it pits Hrithik’s Kabir Dhaliwal against South Superstar Jr. NTR, who makes his Bollywood debut as the antagonist in this highly anticipated sequel. While the latter’s casting has generated considerable excitement for his big Hindi cinema debut, the teaser featuring him received some mixed responses. While many were excited for him to make his Bollywood debut, quite a few were not sold on how it had to be with War 2 and in a character so similar to Tiger in the prequel. The teaser also sparked an unexpected wave of nostalgia as netizens went on to reminisce Captain Khalid Rahmani and how nobody else could match up to the chemistry and on-screen magic that Hrithik and Tiger brought to the screen. The absence of Tiger Shroff’s magnetic screen presence and his character’s essential role in the original film’s success has become a talking point that overshadowed much of the initial buzz around the sequel.
Social media platforms flooded with expressions of longing for Tiger’s return, from Twitter threads lamenting about Khalid’s absence, to Instagram comments questioning the creative decision. In fact, even Internet personalities and reviewers with YouTube accounts went on to add how Tiger and his presence were sorely missed after watching the War 2 teaser. The overwhelming fan sentiment suggests that while War 2 may introduce new thrills with Jr. NTR’s villainous turn, the Tiger Shroff legacy continues to cast a long shadow over the franchise’s future direction.
