Despite making its way to theatres 11 days after the worldwide release, "Thalaivaa" has opened well in Tamil Nadu.
The Vijay starrer, which faced some issues, was finally released in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry on Tuesday (20 August). Fans were jubilant and celebrated the film's release with much fanfare. As part of a traditional affair, fans poured milk on the cut-outs of the actor and garlanded his posters and banners.
At Chennai's Udhayam theatre, "Thalaivaa" received a king's welcome. The reel box of the film was brought in a chariot by fans after they performed pooja at a temple for the film's success. They danced on the way from the temple to the theatre, giving a mass welcome to their star's film.
"Fans were waiting for the theatre gates to open since 6 a.m. in the morning. They wanted to set up everything before the release of the film. Most of Vijay's fans wore t-shirts with his image on it and were dancing to his songs," a representative of Udhayam theatre told Indo-Asian News Service.
"Thalaivaa" also received a grand reception from fans in other parts of the state. The film opened to a solid start despite getting released on a weekday. Confirming the news, senior film journalist Sreedhar Pillai tweeted, "#Thalaivaa has opened well in TN, on a working day, 11 days after its international release!"
"Thalaivaa" was released peacefully in approximately 405 theatres across the state. "We didn't have any problem since morning. It has been a very smooth release. In some of the big and old theatres, police were deployed to ensure fans maintain decorum. The response has been phenomenal as thousands turned out to on a weekday to see the film," Sunil Jain, son of "Thalaivaa" producer Chandraprakash Jain, told IANS.
"Thalaivaa" witnessed a good percentage of occupancy in theatres. At Chennai's Mayajaal multiplex, 85-90 percent occupancy was registered since morning. According to trade analyst Trinath, "Thalaivaa" is expected to have collected between ₹5 crore and ₹10 crore on its opening day in Tamil Nadu.
The action-drama flick is likley to perform better in the coming days. "Thalaivaa" does not have much competition this week as only one Tamil film is releasing on Friday (23 August). Earlier, four films were scheduled to make it to the theatres but "Thalaivaa" has apparently accomodated most screens. This situation has forced makers of three new films to push their release date further.
Vimal's "Desinguraja" is the only flick confirmed for a release on 23 August. It might not hamper "Thalaivaa" collections, as Vijay films are more popular among the audience.
