Rajinikanth’s latest film, Vettaiyan, has become yet another instance where the superstar’s allure failed to resonate at the box office. Directed by TJ Gnanavel, the film featured a star-studded cast and was heavily promoted for the long-anticipated reunion of Rajinikanth and Amitabh Bachchan since their collaboration in Hum (1991), alongside Fahadh Faasil. However, the film managed to earn only ₹207 crores globally, prompting Lyca Productions to allegedly reach out to Rajinikanth for compensation regarding the losses.
According to reports, the production house has requested Rajinikanth to take on another project for them and also to consider reducing his fee for future collaborations. While these reports are circulating, there has been no official confirmation. Previous films by the production house with Rajinikanth, including Kaala, Lal Salaam, and Darbar, similarly failed to meet expectations at the box office.
In Vettaiyan, Rajinikanth reprises his role as a cop with a troubled past. At a recent press conference, Gnanavel expressed interest in creating a prequel titled Vettaiyan: The Hunter, which would explore Rajinikanth’s character Athiyan’s journey to becoming an encounter specialist and delve into Fahadh Faasil’s character transformation into a thief and informant.
Vettaiyan: Total Box Office Collection So Far
Currently, the movie has grossed ₹238.95 crores worldwide, with a net collection of ₹138 crores or ₹164 crores gross. The action drama, coinciding with Dussehra, was released on 10 October 2024 and initially opened strong. However, it faced a sharp decline during the first week.
Though Vettaiyan had impressive pre-sales, ranking as the second highest for a Kollywood film after Vijay’s The GOAT. It enjoyed a solid opening day and surpassed ₹100 crores in its debut weekend. Unfortunately, it experienced a drastic drop of over 70% on its first Monday and has struggled to recover since then.
After 10 days of release, by 21 October 2024, Vettaiyan recorded a dismal occupancy rate of just 14.13% in Tamil markets, with morning shows at 13.36%, afternoon shows at 14.63%, evening shows at 14.39%, and no attendance for night shows. The film fared even worse in the Telugu and Hindi markets, with occupancy rates dropping to 12.58% and a mere 5.66%, respectively.
The film had a strong opening, earning ₹31.7 crore on its first day, followed by ₹24 crore on the second day and ₹26.75 crore on the third. However, it experienced a downturn during the weekdays, bringing in ₹5.6 crore on the first Monday, dropping to ₹4.3 crore on Tuesday and Wednesday. While the film’s crew attributes its poor performance to mixed reviews, higher earnings were anticipated at this stage. Unfortunately, the movie lacked substance, with subpar music being a major factor in its failure.
Budget vs. Box Office Collection
Originally intended as a mid-budget film, costs escalated by including stars like Fahadh Faasil and Amitabh Bachchan. The estimated budget is around ₹300 crores. Even considering the total worldwide gross, the film has a significant journey ahead before it reaches profitability.
Why did it flop? Right after its release, the film faced heavy criticism from all angles, including from Rajinikanth’s own fans, who felt it was not a Rajinikanth film and merely propaganda. Additionally, it was seen as relying on the same tiring lies, with little effort made to verify the facts presented.
Film Review: Vettaiyan
Vettaiyan, starring Rajinikanth, opens with a tribute to Thomas Babington Macaulay, setting a controversial tone right from the start. While the film aims to tackle serious issues like drug abuse in government schools, it quickly devolves into a series of absurd scenarios that feel more like propaganda than genuine storytelling.
Directed by TJ Gnanavel, known for his contentious work in “Jai Bhim,” the film perpetuates inaccuracies, particularly regarding the portrayal of communities. For instance, it misrepresents the background of a key character involved in a custodial death, drawing ire from the Vanniyar community.
The narrative introduces a series of implausible events, such as a petty thief making millions through fake QR codes, which raises unnecessary fears about digital transactions. The film’s depiction of the NEET exam further pushes an unfounded agenda, casting it as a tool of privilege without any real evidence.
Visually, Vettaiyan features a musical number that, while colorful, hints at cultural appeasement, which might leave audiences questioning the intent behind such choices.
As Rajinikanth’s character delivers lines that promote Dravidianist ideology, the film reinforces negative stereotypes about Hindus while portraying minority communities in a predominantly positive light. This biased representation detracts from the film’s potential impact and alienates a segment of its audience.
In the end, Vettaiyan feels more like a vehicle for a specific political narrative than a well-crafted film. For longtime fans of Rajinikanth, this alignment with propaganda over storytelling is disheartening, making it difficult to reconcile the superstar’s legacy with his recent choices.
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