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Ajith Kumar’s much-anticipated action thriller Vidaamuyarchi saw a massive decline in its box office earnings on its second day. Despite a strong opening with ₹26 crore on day one, the film’s collections dropped by nearly 67% on day two, making just ₹8.75 crore domestically.
This unexpected dip has raised concerns, especially when compared to other recent big-budget Tamil films like Suriya’s Kanguva and Kamal Haasan’s Indian 2, which maintained steadier numbers after their openings. Vidaamuyarchi, directed by Magizh Thirumeni, started with an impressive 61.24% occupancy on its opening day but saw a sharp decline to 36.5% on day two.
Box Office Breakdown: Tamil Version Leads the Way
According to early estimates by Sacnilk, Vidaamuyarchi has amassed ₹34.75 crore in India net collections as of February 7. The Tamil version has been the primary contributor, earning ₹33.9 crore, while the Telugu-dubbed version, titled Pattudala, has struggled with just ₹85 lakh in total earnings.
The Telugu version recorded only a 15.11% occupancy on its second day, earning ₹35 lakh after opening at ₹50 lakh. The lack of a strong pan-India promotional campaign appears to have limited its appeal outside Tamil Nadu.
Globally, the film has earned ₹61 crore, as per trade analyst Ramesh Bala. However, the drastic day-two decline has sparked concerns about whether it can sustain momentum over the weekend.
Can the Weekend Save ‘Vidaamuyarchi’?
Despite mixed reviews, the trade expects Vidaamuyarchi to gain momentum over the weekend, as it faces no major competition in Tamil Nadu until February 21. The upcoming releases of Dhanush’s Nilavukku Enadi Enmel Kobam and Pradeep Ranganathan’s Dragon may affect its performance in the later weeks.
The film reunites Ajith with his Mankatha co-stars Arjun Sarja and Trisha Krishnan. Regina Cassandra, Arav, and Ramya Subramanian also play key roles. Produced by Lyca Productions, Vidaamuyarchi is an official adaptation of the 1997 American film Breakdown. The story follows Arjun (Ajith Kumar) on a high-stakes mission to rescue his kidnapped wife Kayal (Trisha) in Azerbaijan.
Originally set to be directed by Vignesh Shivan, the project eventually went to Magizh Thirumeni, who brought his signature action-thriller style. The film’s cinematography by Om Prakash and music by Anirudh Ravichander have been widely appreciated, but the storyline has received mixed reactions.
With advance bookings contributing ₹13.39 crore to its earnings, all eyes are now on whether Vidaamuyarchi can recover over the weekend and maintain steady collections in the coming days.
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