Tamil star Ajith Kumar's latest movie Valimai opened to a thunderous response at the Tamil Nadu box office on February 25, collecting Rs 36.17 crore on day 1. It beat Rajinikanth's Annaatthe to emerge as the 'best opener' of all time. The biggie remained strong on Friday, grossing an impressive Rs 24.62 crore. Its two-day collection stands at Rs 60.79 crore, according to tracker Manobala Vijayabalan.
The figure is lower than what it collected on its opening day. This, however, is not too surprising as it was released on a Thursday and not a Friday. The flick has done well in Chennai, where it grossed Rs 2.88 crore in two days. Valimai fared well in urban centres. It also exceeded expectations in 'B' and 'C' markets.
Valimai received mixed reviews with critics lauding Ajith's 'massy' performance but criticising the second half. The word of mouth is positive, which should help it put up phenomenal numbers on Saturday and Sunday (February 27). Its fate will ultimately depend on whether stays stable on Monday.
Valimai became a phenomenon almost a year before its release with fans demanding updates from the team. Some of them even asked cricketer Moeen Ali about the film during England's match against India last year. Ajith fans did the same during PM Narendra Modi's rally, which prompted the Citizen actor to urge his supporters to refrain from indulging in such acts.
Valimai, directed by H Vinoth, is an action-thriller that revolves around what happens when a principled cop locks horns with a dangerous gang. This is AK's second consecutive flick with the maverick filmmaker and Bollywood producer Boney Kapoor. The trio previously came together for Nerkonda Paarvai, which emerged as a big hit in 2019.
Valimai features Huma Qureshi, who previously acted alongside Rajinikanth in Kaala, as the female protagonist. She, however, doesn't play Ajith's love interest in the movie. Telugu star Kartikeya, who rose to fame with his work in RX 100, as the antagonist.