Actor Kangana Ranaut’s latest movie Thalaivii, which hit the screens on Friday (September 10), has opened to a decent response at the Tamil Nadu box office. According to initial reports, it raked in around Rs 75 lakh in the state on the opening day.
While the film could have collected more, this is a respectable figure given the fact that these are Covid times and cinemas are operating at 50 per cent capacity to ensure social distancing. Moreover, Kangana isn’t a known name for the Tamil audience as she has primarily worked in Bollywood.
Thailaivii, directed by A L Vijay, revolves around the life of the former and late Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa and highlights her journey from a film star to a mass leader. The film has an impressive supporting cast that includes Arvind Swami, Nassar, and Bhagyashree. The Kadal actor essays the role of the iconic MGR in the biggie, which explores his relationship with ‘Amma’. Nassar, on the other hand, plays the late Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) patriarch M Karunanidhi in the film.
Thalaivii has received rave reviews with most critics praising the top-notch performances and the dramatic presentation. The word of mouth is positive. The film is unlikely to face competition from the Hollywood biggies Shang Chi and F9 in most centres as they cater to completely different audiences. The film, either way, needs to witness growth over the weekend in order to emerge as a major commercial success.
Kangana, meanwhile, is going through a busy phase on the work front. The star will soon be seen in Tejas, which features her in the role of air force officer. Bollywood’s ‘Queen’ is awaiting the release of the actioner Dhaakad. The Tanu Weds Manu star will soon begin work on her latest magnum opus Manikarnika Returns, which is based on the life of Kashmir’s ‘Warrior Queen’ Didda.