Mani Ratnam's latest movie Kaatru Veliyidai is off to a great start at the box office. The movie, which has been released in Telugu as Cheliyaa, has opened to mixed reviews, but the film is heading towards doing a fantastic business on the opening day.
Cheliyaa Review | Kaatru Veliyidai
Kaatru Veliyidai is released in over 1,400 screens worldwide. The film, which is being distributed by Sri Thenandal FIlms in Tamil Nadu, has been released in 310 screens in the state. The advance booking has given clear indication of the Mani Ratnam's movie doing a fantastic collection on the release day. The film is released big in neighbouring Bengaluru, while the Telugu version is getting a massive release in Andhra Pradesh.
Taking the advance booking into the consideration, the trade experts are expecting the movie to gross over Rs 10-12 crore from the South Indian box office. Mani Ratnam and his lead hero Karthi enjoy a huge fan following in this region and the movie has generated a lot of hype. These factors have played major roles in driving the audience into the theatres in big numbers on the opening day.
With Kaatru Veliyidai getting mixed reviews, it is interesting to see how the bilingual film will perform at the collection centres in the days to come.
In the US, the movie had premieres at many centers. While the Telugu version has estimated to have grossed over $22,000, the Tamil version has collected close to $50,000.
Kaatru Veliyidai has Karthi and Aditia Rao Hydari are playing the leads. The movie has been praised for the top class music and Ravi Varman's brilliance behind the camera. However, the slow narration and the screenplay have come under criticism.
