Actor Rajinikanth's latest movie Annaatthe, which hit the screens on November 4, has opened to a fantastic response at the Tamil Nadu box office despite mixed reviews. According to trade analyst Manobala Vijayabalan, it collected nearly Rs 35 crore on day 1, setting an all-time record. The film benefitted from the Deepavali festivities and director Siva's popularity among the family audience.
Annaatthe collected Rs 38 Lakh in Trichy, outperforming Vijay's Pongal release Master, which had raked in around Rs 25 lakh despite the fact that theatres were operating at 50 per cent capacity. The film did exceptionally well in Chennai as most shows were sold out or 'filling fast'. It has, however, not been able to outperform 2.0-- which grossed Rs 2.64 crore on its opening day-- in Tamil Nadu's capital city as it has a rural setting.
Annaatthe has, not surprisingly, done impressive business in 'B' and 'C' centres and established Siva as the choice of the mass audience. Rajinikanth had suffered a big setback when Darbar, his last major release, didn't live up to expectations. The biggie collected nearly Rs 20 crore on the opening day in Tamil Nadu but failed to keep the momentum going once the initial buzz faded. The overwhelming response to Annaatthe should help the star regain its mojo. It, however, needs to stay stable in the coming days to emerge as a box office success in the long run. The perception is that this won't be too difficult given the fact that it'll enjoy an extended weekend due to Diwali celebrations. Moreover, there is virtually no competition as Annaatthe is the only major Tamil release of the week. That said, it may face competition from Akshay Kumar's Sooryavanshi and the Hollywood biggie Eternals in urban markets. It is also unlikely to find patronage among a class audience due to the mixed word of mouth.
Annaatthe, backed by Sun Pictures, is an action-packed family drama that revolves around the journey of a caring brother who considers his younger sister to be the centre of the world. It stars National Award winner Keerthy Suresh as Thalaivar's sister and is perceived to be a gamechanger for her. The cast includes Khushbu, Meena, Nayanthara and Jagapathi Babu.