Hrithik has not seen a single clear solo hit in last 12 years. He has tried everything from mass action entertainers like Fighter to experimental films like Mohenjo Daro and Super 30. But War 2’s debacle is the last nail as this is something that was suppose to be sure shot with being sequel to one of the biggest hits starring him in his most comfortable zone!
In the realm of entertainment, there aren’t many superstars who enjoy a long journey with the title. It’s a title upon which a film’s success is often attributed. Among the many superstars in Bollywood, Hrithik Roshan seems to be losing his hold on that faith. He is probably one of the most talented actors that we have around. He is a very good looking and fantastic actor who is also a fantastic dancer. But even though he is very talented, over the years, he has lost his connection with audiences and has become slowly irrelevant. It is sad to see War 2 not even being discussed while everyone is looking at one of the biggest superstars slowly dying.
If we look at Hrithik’s journey, his last solo blockbuster was Krrish 3. Post that, he kept experimenting with films like Mohenjo Daro and Super 30. With Mohenjo Daro, he reunited with Ashutosh Gowariker, who had earlier directed him in the much-loved Jodhaa Akbar. However, the project turned out to be a colossal failure. Super 30 was a good film, but audiences couldn’t accept the “blackwashing” of a handsome star like Hrithik as Anand Kumar. Moreover, since it was Vikas Bahl’s directorial comeback after his MeToo allegations, the conversations around the film revolved more around the controversy than its quality. Kaabil, despite being appreciated, released opposite Raees, which overshadowed it at the box office, limiting its collections to around ₹70–80 crore. Vikram Vedha was again a genuine effort, but since audiences had already seen and loved the Tamil original, they didn’t turn up in theatres for the remake.
Then came War, as a sign of hope in his degrading filmography. But Hrithik’s biggest failures could be Fighter and now War 2 where Hrithik has failed in his comfort zone. Fighter was his collaboration with Siddharth Anand after War. Everyone in the industry was excited but audiences never felt the need to come to theaters as they felt something dull in the movie. The most of the criticism at that time went to Siddharth Anand but post War 2 it is becoming more clear that there is a huge disconnect of fans with Hrithik as well.
With the debacle of War 2, Hrithik is failing even in the genre where he was supposed to excel. Neither did the experimental approach work for him, nor has he managed to survive in his core genre.
In fact, the situation has become so grim that the failure of War 2 is largely being attributed to Jr. NTR. The film is widely being seen as NTR’s project, with audiences showing excitement only for him and disappointment only in him. Hrithik, sadly, is not even being hailed or blamed. Conclusively, The very identity of “Brand Hrithik Roshan” seems to have slipped into the shadows.
