From Teaser to Tokenism: Unpacking Bollywood’s Obsession with Glam Over Story in War 2

By Anil Merani: The public discourse around Kiara Advani’s bikini scene in the War 2 teaser starkly reflects the prevalent gender bias in Bollywood. The teaser, released on May 20, 2025, to coincide with Jr NTR’s birthday, prominently features high-octane action and the face-off between Hrithik Roshan and Jr NTR. However, Kiara’s brief bikini appearance has disproportionately dominated online reactions, underscoring a persistent bias in Bollywood’s reception. This bias tends to overshadow female actors’ contributions to the story, reinforcing patriarchal and male-gaze-driven narratives.

Posts on X and web reports show a split in sentiment. Some fans celebrate Kiara’s “sizzling” look, with comments like “Kiara Advani just raised the temperature in #War2!  That bikini scene? UNREAL”, while others criticise the objectification, noting, “Kiara Advani for just 2 seconds in a minute and half long teaser, doing nothing but walking around in a bikini for male gaze”. Critics argue the teaser uses her appearance as “trailer bait” to attract attention, a tactic common in big-budget films where female roles are often reduced to eye-candy. Comparisons to Deepika Padukone’s bikini scene in Pathaan further amplify this, with some netizens claiming Kiara “surpassed” her, framing it as a competition of allure rather than substance.

The film’s broader message, rooted in the YRF Spy Universe’s themes of patriotism, espionage, and intense action, is sidelined in much of the discourse. The teaser emphasises Hrithik’s return as Major Kabir Dhaliwal and Jr NTR’s debut as his adversary, with visuals of explosions, military hardware, and intense showdowns suggesting a narrative of high-stakes conflict. However, Kiara’s role remains unclear. Her “blink-and-miss” appearance—lasting roughly a second in the 1-minute-34-second teaser—has sparked speculation about whether her character will have significant screen time or narrative weight in the final cut. Some sources hint at a romantic subplot with Hrithik’s character, but there’s no concrete indication of her role’s depth beyond the glamour.

The male-dominated themes of War 2, evident from the teaser’s focus on Hrithik and Jr NTR’s rivalry, align with the first War (2019), where female characters like Vaani Kapoor had limited agency. This trend in the YRF Spy Universe raises valid concerns about whether Kiara’s role will extend beyond tokenism. Social media reflects this skepticism, with users questioning if her bikini scene is a marketing ploy rather than a sign of a substantial role: “I hope her role is more than just a glam add-on”. Others defend her choice, arguing that wearing a bikini doesn’t diminish her potential impact, highlighting the tension between empowerment and objectification: “Why are we acting like she needs to be fully clothed to have an impactful role?”.

The discourse also touches on technical aspects, with some speculating that CGI or a body double may have been used for Kiara’s scene, further fueling debates about authenticity versus manufactured appeal. Meanwhile, the backlash against filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma for sharing her bikini photos with inappropriate captions underscores how such scenes can invite problematic commentary, amplifying misogynistic undertones in public reactions.

Ultimately, the fixation on Kiara’s appearance over the film’s narrative underscores the need for a deeper narrative focus in Bollywood. This recurring issue in Bollywood’s marketing and audience reception prioritises spectacle over substance. Without seeing the final cut, set for release on August 14, 2025, it’s uncertain how much screen time or narrative significance Kiara’s character will have. Given the male-centric focus of the teaser and the franchise’s history, there’s a risk her role may be overshadowed. However, her comments about “lots of firsts” in the film—her first YRF project, action film, and collaboration with Ayan Mukerji—suggest she may have a more dynamic presence than the teaser lets on. For now, the discourse remains skewed, and only the film’s release will clarify whether it breaks from the male-dominated mould or perpetuates it.

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