January 11 witnessed the box office clash between Ajith Kumar and Thalapathy Vijay. And according to early estimates, Ajith Kumar’s action thriller, Thunivu has taken a bigger opening than Thalapathy Vijay’s family entertainer Varisu in Tamil Nadu. The H. Vinoth film has collected in the range of Rs. 19.5 crores to Rs. 21.50 crores in Tamil Nadu, thereby topping Thalapathy Vijay’s film by a margin of approx. 5 percent.
Thunivu scored bumper occupancy all across Tamil Nadu and emerged a winner on the opening day. Better distribution strategy deserves a special mention in pushing Thunivu to the victory spot. The film scored a full-day occupancy of 85 percent in the state of Tamil Nadu. The Boney Kapoor and Zee Studios film is a heist drama and is receiving a positive response from the fans. The expectations are sky high and it seems that the film will emerge as a clean hit for Ajith Kumar by the end of its run as the festive season is yet to roll.
Thunivu has also recorded the second biggest opening of Thala Ajith’s career, despite a clash with a mammoth project like Varisu. The top spot in Ajith Kumar’s filmography on opening front is occupied by his last release Valimai. Had Thunivu got a solo release, it was poised to easily take a record opening for not just Ajith Kumar but also Kollywood Industry. Industry experts suggest that a solo release would have pushed Thunivu to an opening day in Tamil Nadu of Rs. 35 to 40 crore.
With a bumper opening, all eyes are now on hold in collections on the second and third day.