After Vijay's GOAT, which hit theatres in September, Rajinikanth-Amitabh Bachchan's Vettaiyan, helmed by TJ Gnanavel, has become the second biggest opener of the year in Tamil cinema. While early reports suggested that the film earned Rs 12 crores on the opening day in Tamil Nadu, according to a latest report on industry tracker Sacnilk.com, the film earned Rs 30 crores at the box office on Day 1 across India.
The film saw its highest earnings in Tamil Nadu, generating Rs 26 cr, followed by Telugu collections of over Rs 3 cr. However, its Hindi version faced a setback due to the ongoing OTT-release dispute, resulting in a limited release excluding national cinema chains, potentially impacting its overall box office success, especially considering Amitabh Bachchan's significant draw.
Vettaiyan's box office performance pales in comparison to Rajinikanth's previous film, Jailer, which broke records last year with a staggering opening of Rs 48 crore, including Rs 37 crore in Tamil Nadu alone. This surpasses Vettaiyan's nationwide total. The disparity can be attributed to Jailer's immense hype and direction by Nelson. In contrast, Vettaiyan, directed by TJ Gnanavel (of Jai Bhim fame), is described as a more down-to-earth commercial entertainer. Vettaiyan is expected to benefit from the holiday weekend, which attracts the family audiences in large numbers.
Vettaiyan also stars Rana Daggubati, Dushara Vijayan, Fahadh Faasil, Rithika Singh, Manju Warrier, Abhirami, and Rohini, among others. The film's technical crew comprises music composer Anirudh, cinematographer SR Kathir, and editor Philomin.
