Jiiva-starrer Thalaivar Thambi Thalaimaiyil (TTT) had a steady but modest start at the box office, collecting an estimated Rs 1.3 crore India net on its opening day. The film hit theatres on Thursday, and while the numbers are not explosive, the opening reflects a controlled release strategy and limited initial buzz compared to its fellow releases.
Directed by Nithish Sahadev, who makes his Tamil cinema debut after the Malayalam hit Falimy, Thalaivar Thambi Thalaimaiyil is a slice-of-life drama that relies more on word-of-mouth than scale-driven spectacle. The film is headlined by Jiiva and backed by a strong ensemble cast including Thambi Ramaiah, Ilavarasu, Prathana Nathan, and Anuraj OB.
In comparison, Parasakthi, a star-driven and high-hype release, opened to a massive Rs 12.5 crore on Day 1 and went on to collect Rs 36.25 crore in India net in its first six days. Despite a sharp drop post-opening weekend, the film saw a significant spike on Day 6 with Rs 5.5 crore, underlining its strong theatrical pull and audience recall.
Meanwhile, Nalan Kumarasamy’s Vaa Vaathiyaar, marking the director’s return and starring Karthi, registered a better start than TTT despite being a content-led film. The film grossed Rs 4.6 crore worldwide in its first two days, with Rs 3.9 crore coming from India alone. Its India net collections rose from Rs 1.65 crore on Day 1 to Rs 2.25 crore on Day 2, indicating positive traction and improving word-of-mouth.
Placed against these numbers, Thalaivar Thambi Thalaimaiyil clearly operates in a different box office bracket. While Parasakthi benefits from scale and mass appeal and Vaa Vaathiyaar enjoys the advantage of star power and curiosity around a comeback director, TTT is positioned as a smaller, relationship-driven film whose box office journey will depend largely on sustained audience appreciation over the weekend.
On the technical front, Thalaivar Thambi Thalaimaiyil reunites the Falimy team, with cinematography by Bablu Aju, music by Vishnu Vijay, and editing by Arjune Babu. Vishnu Vijay and Bablu Aju previously collaborated with Nithish Sahadev on Falimy, lending the film a familiar tonal and aesthetic sensibility. The film is produced by Kannan and co-produced by Deepak Ravi, with the screenplay penned by Nithish Sahadev along with Sanjo Joseph and Anuraj OB.