The teaser of War 2 has sparked a wave of trolling on social media, particularly from sections of North Indian media and online communities — most of it targeted at Jr. NTR.
While the teaser’s visual effects have also faced criticism, the majority of the backlash appears to be aimed at NTR.
Interestingly, Hrithik Roshan, who reprises his role from the first installment, has largely been spared both criticism and praise.
This situation is reminiscent of what Prabhas encountered during the release of the Salaar trailer.
At that time, fans of Shah Rukh Khan launched a series of anti-Salaar and anti-Prabhas posts across social media.
Some segments of the Bollywood media even seemed to downplay Salaar’s box office performance in favor of Shah Rukh Khan’s Dunki, as both films were released around the same time.
However, Prabhas’s fans mounted a strong counter-campaign, defending the film with resilience until it emerged as a massive success. In contrast, Dunki underperformed at the box office.
The key difference lies in the dynamics of the fanbase. Prabhas’s fans are more familiar with the North Indian media ecosystem and are adept at responding strategically.
On the other hand, NTR’s fans — who may not be as experienced in navigating North Indian trolling tactics or the broader Hindi film industry — are currently struggling to offer an effective response.
