Directed by TJ Gnanavel, Vettaiyan hit theatres on October 10, starring superstar Rajinikanth alongside Amitabh Bachchan, Fahadh Faasil, Manju Warrier, and Rana Daggubati. The action drama follows Athiyan, a senior cop played by Rajinikanth, who grapples with guilt after accidentally killing an innocent person during an encounter while investigating the murder of a teacher.
The film opened to mixed reviews from both audiences and critics. Some praised the veteran actor’s performance and technical execution, while others criticized the storyline and pacing. “The film has its moments, but the screenplay feels sluggish,” said one reviewer, reflecting the varied audience reception.
Vettaiyan collected ₹104.75 crore net in India during its extended four-day weekend, with a global gross of ₹189 crore. However, it faced a sharp decline in collections starting Monday. On Day 5, the film added ₹5.6 crore domestically, while on Tuesday, October 16, early estimates indicated further decline, with just ₹4.25 crore net, as per Sacnilk data.
Day 1 (Thursday): ₹31.7 crore
Day 2 (Friday): ₹24 crore (-24.29%)
Day 3 (Saturday): ₹26.75 crore (+11.46%)
Day 4 (Sunday): ₹22.3 crore (-16.64%)
Day 5 (Monday): ₹5.6 crore (-74.89%)
Day 6 (Tuesday): ₹4.25 crore (early estimates)
The total India net collection now stands at ₹114.6 crore.
The film’s performance varied significantly across different regions. In Chennai, the film maintained a healthy 22% occupancy throughout the day, while Trichy and Pondicherry saw night show peaks of 26% and 39%, respectively. However, in major cities such as Mumbai and the National Capital Region (NCR), the occupancy was much lower, hovering around 12-13%. The occupancy in major cities are:
Chennai: 22%
Bengaluru: 14.5%
Trichy: 23.75%
Pondicherry: 33.75%
Vettaiyan is Rajinikanth’s follow-up to the blockbuster Jailer, which grossed over ₹600 crore worldwide in 2023. While the earlier film broke box office records, Vettaiyan faces a tougher challenge due to its mixed reception. “It will be difficult to match the success of Jailer,” noted an industry analyst, hinting at the high bar set by the previous release.
One of the major highlights of Vettaiyan is the reunion of Rajinikanth and Amitabh Bachchan on the big screen after 33 years. The two legendary actors last appeared together in the 1991 action-drama Hum. Prior to that, they collaborated on Andhaa Kaanoon (1983) and Geraftaar (1985). While Bachchan played lead roles in those films, Rajinikanth had either cameo appearances or supporting parts, making Vettaiyan a rare opportunity for fans to see both superstars share significant screen time.
Despite the film’s mixed trajectory at the box office, fans of the two icons have celebrated their on-screen reunion, marking it as a memorable cinematic moment. The coming days will determine whether Vettaiyan can maintain its momentum and recover from the early week slump.
