Dhanush's "Velai Illa Pattathaari" ("VIP") has rocked the Tamil Nadu box office in its opening weekend.
The film minted over ₹4.36 crore on the first day of its release (18 July) and gave Dhanush his best ever opening. Thanks to the positive word of mouth, the romantic action entertainer managed to hold well on Saturday and Sunday. The film's opening weekend collections stand at approximately ₹12.96 crore, according to entertainment industry tracker Sreedhar Pillai.
#VellaiIllaPattathari - TN Net (Approximate) Friday – Rs 4.36 Cr + Saturday - Rs 4.20 Cr + Sunday Rs Rs 4.40 Cr. Total = Rs 12.96 Cr.
— Sreedhar Pillai (@sri50) July 21, 2014
"VIP" has performed exceptionally well at the Chennai box office. The film took the second highest opening of 2014 after Rajinikanth's "Kochadaiiyaan" in Chennai. The Dhanush starrer witnessed an average theatre occupancy of 97 percent in its first weekend and its collections are estimated to be around ₹1.67 crore (gross), reported Behindwoods.
The Velraj directorial is doing good business in the overseas markets as well. The film has reportedly earned over $100,000 in the United States. "#VIP crossed $100K already, on its way to $150K. First @dhanushkraja film to cross the landmark, seems like he ll double his previous best!," ATMUS Entertainment, the US theatrical distributor of "Velai Illa Pattathari," tweeted on Sunday.
"#VIP may end up 10 times that of #Naiyaandi box office in USA!! This is called comeback. Congrats @dhanushkraja," they tweeted.
The film has earned well in the UK and Australia box office. The Dhanush starrer grossed over ₹24 lakh and ₹18 lakh at the UK and Australia box office, respectively, according to film critic and trade analyst Taran Adarsh.
The success of "VIP" should bring relief for Dhanush, whose last two Tamil films "Mariyaan" and "Naiyyandi" had failed to set the cash registers ringing. Apparently, trade circles in Tamil Nadu are happy with the success of the film.
The romantic action entertainer is expected to continue its good run in the weekdays and the end the first week on a good note.
Produced by Dhanush, "Velai Illa Pattathari" is about how an unemployed graduate manages to get a job and faces the challenges posed by his rivals. Dhanush's performance and Anirudh's music are the major highlights of the film.
Amala Paul plays the female lead and this is her first release post her marriage to director Vijay. Vivek, Saranya Ponvannan and Samuthirakani also appear in supporting roles.
