Rajinikanth’s latest film, ‘Vettaiyan’, directed by TJ Gnanavel, arrived in theaters on October 10th, bringing together a stellar ensemble cast including Amitabh Bachchan, Fahadh Faasil, Manju Warrier, and Rana Daggubati. The action drama centers around Athiyan, a seasoned cop played by Rajinikanth, who grapples with guilt after accidentally killing an innocent person during an encounter while investigating a teacher’s murder.
While the film generated considerable hype, its reception from both audiences and critics has been mixed. Some praised Rajinikanth’s performance and the film’s technical execution, while others found the storyline and pacing lacking. A common criticism echoed by many viewers was the film’s slow pace, with some describing the screenplay as sluggish. This mixed reaction has undoubtedly impacted the film’s box office performance.
Despite a strong opening weekend, ‘Vettaiyan’ saw a considerable drop in collections starting Monday. The film raked in a total of ₹ 104.75 crore net in India during its extended four-day weekend, with a global gross of ₹ 189 crore. However, on Day 5, the film added only ₹ 5.6 crore domestically, and early estimates for Day 6, Tuesday, October 16, indicate a further decline, with just ₹ 4.25 crore net. These numbers, according to Sacnilk data, paint a picture of a film struggling to sustain its initial momentum.
The film’s performance has varied significantly across different regions. While Chennai saw a healthy 22% occupancy throughout the day, Trichy and Pondicherry witnessed night show peaks of 26% and 39%, respectively. However, in major cities like Mumbai and the National Capital Region (NCR), the occupancy was significantly lower, hovering around 12-13%.
The film’s box office performance becomes even more intriguing when compared to Rajinikanth’s previous blockbuster, ‘Jailer’, which grossed over ₹ 600 crore worldwide in 2023. Industry analysts believe that ‘Vettaiyan’ will find it difficult to replicate the success of ‘Jailer’ due to the mixed reception it has garnered.
One of the most anticipated elements of ‘Vettaiyan’ was the reunion of Rajinikanth and Amitabh Bachchan on screen after 33 long years. This highly publicized pairing had fans eagerly awaiting their cinematic reunion, as they last shared the screen in the 1991 action-drama, ‘Hum’. Their previous collaborations, ‘Andhaa Kaanoon’ (1983) and ‘Geraftaar’ (1985), saw Bachchan in lead roles while Rajinikanth had either cameo appearances or supporting roles. ‘Vettaiyan’ presented a unique opportunity for fans to witness both superstars sharing significant screen time.
Despite the film’s uneven box office performance, fans have celebrated the reunion of these two legendary actors, viewing it as a memorable cinematic moment. The coming days will be crucial in determining whether ‘Vettaiyan’ can recover from its early-week slump and maintain its momentum. It remains to be seen if this latest Rajinikanth venture can overcome the mixed reception and emerge as a box office triumph.