The Hindi dubbed version of actor Vijay’s latest movie Master has proved to be a ‘complete disaster’ at the domestic box office despite releasing during the Pongal season. Speaking to DH, trade analyst Joginder Tuteja says that the film’s lifetime net collection in the North is less than Rs two crore.
“People were not even aware of its release. Moreover, the film’s content was South centric. There was nothing in it for the Hindi crowd.” he adds.
Master, directed by Kaithi-helmer Lokesh Kanagaraj, is an action-thriller that revolves around the journey of a rowdy professor. The film features several punch dialogues with a heavy Tamil nativity. The setting too is more suited for the Kollywood audience than a Hindi one. The cast includes Vijay Sethupathi, Andrea Jeremiah and Petta star Malavika Mohanan. While these actors enjoy a decent fan following in Tamil Nadu, they are not too popular in other markets. This has apparently worked against the film in the Hindi belt.
Master is Vijay’s second attempt at trying to woo the pan-India/Hindi audience. ‘Thalapathy’ had previously tried to expand his fan base with the 2015 release Puli, which proved to be a failure despite the fact that it featured Sridevi in a key role.
The phenomenal response to Baahubali had opened new avenues for films made in the four major South India languages with production houses backing pan-India content. The revolution has, however, yielded mixed results. While biggies such as KGF, the Prabhas-starrer Saaho and Rajinikanth’s 2.0 did well in the Hindi belt, films like Mamangam and Sye Raa Narasimha Reddy failed to set the cash registers ringing.
Master’s lacklustre performance indicates that Vijay is not a bankable name in the Hindi belt despite his impressive body of work. He, however, might be able to expand his fanbase if he chooses scripts with a universal appeal.
With Master in theatres, Vijay is set to turn his attention to his next movie Thalapathy 65. The film will be directed by Nelson, who wielded the microphone for Kolamaavu Kokila, and feature the mass hero in a new avatar.