Soodhu Kavvum director Nalan Kumarasamy's comeback film Vaa Vaathiyaar, starring Karthi, grossed 4.6 crore from theatres worldwide in the first two days of its release, according to data from the industry tracker Sacnilk. In India alone, the film minted 3.9 crore. The industry tracker reports that the collection jumped from 1.65 crore on release day to 2.25 crore on the second day.
The film also stars Krithi Shetty, Rajkiran, Karunakaran, Sathyaraj, and Anandaraj, among others. The plot follows an ardent admirer of legendary actor MG Ramachandran who raises his grandchild as an MGR reincarnation. Now, does the child grow up like MG Ramachandran? What would happen if he grows up to be someone different from his grandfather's ideals?
Critics and audiences have been sharing mostly mixed opinion about the film, which marks Nalan's comeback to direction after over a decade. While critics are generally commending Karthi's performance in the film and its making standards, not all of them appreciate the storytelling in the same way. In our Vaa Vaathiyaar movie review, Avinash Ramachandran wrote, "Despite having a fantastical element at the centre of things, it is Nalan’s most simplistic and straightforward film. It feels more like a compromise and less of a cinematic endeavour simply because the beats are familiar, the notes are familiar, and so is the final output, even if it is enjoyable in parts."
The film faces stiff competition from other Pongal releases, notably Sudha Kongara's Parasakthi, starring Sivakarthikeyan, Ravi Mohan, Sreeleela, and Atharvaa, and director Nithish Sahadev's Thalaivar Thambi Thalaimaiyil, starring Jiiva in the lead role.
