The highly anticipated action thriller ‘Vettaiyan’, featuring the legendary duo of Rajinikanth and Amitabh Bachchan, has entered its second week at the box office. While the film enjoyed a phenomenal opening weekend, garnering a whopping ₹26.75 crore net on Saturday and ₹22.3 crore net on Sunday, its earnings have slowed down in the subsequent days.
As of Day 9, ‘Vettaiyan’ has collected a total of ₹122.15 crore, falling short of its ambitious ₹300 crore target. Despite the star power and the captivating storyline, the film’s performance has been somewhat underwhelming in its second week.
According to industry tracker Sacnilk, the film recorded an overall Tamil occupancy of 17.15 per cent on Day 9. Pondicherry continues to be the highest performing region, registering a 27.25 per cent occupancy rate. Chennai and Kochi followed closely behind with 21 per cent and 19 per cent occupancy, respectively. While Mumbai saw the lowest occupancy rate amongst major metros at 8.75 per cent, Bangalore recorded 12.75 per cent occupancy across all shows.
Director TJ Gnanavel, known for his powerful film ‘Jai Bhim’, has taken a different direction with ‘Vettaiyan’. The plot revolves around an encounter specialist who finds himself entangled in a complex web of events while investigating an educational scam. The film boasts a stellar ensemble cast, featuring Fahadh Faasil, Rana Daggubati, and Dushara Vijayan in pivotal roles alongside the legendary Rajinikanth and Amitabh Bachchan.
‘Vettaiyan’ holds a significant place in Kollywood history, marking the reunion of Rajinikanth and Amitabh Bachchan on the big screen after 33 years. The two icons last shared screen space in the 1991 action-drama ‘Hum’. The film’s first 30 minutes focus on Rajinikanth, before transitioning into a fast-paced investigative thriller.
Although Rajinikanth and Amitabh Bachchan have collaborated in the past on films like ‘Andhaa Kaanoon’ (1983) and ‘Geraftaar’ (1985), Rajinikanth’s roles in those films were primarily cameos or supporting parts. ‘Vettaiyan’ presents the two legendary actors in prominent roles, with their screen presence adding a significant layer to the film’s appeal.