Experts wait, but fans clash over Thunivu-Varisu BO race

Ever since the release of Tamil biggies Thunivu and Varisu, social media, fans and trackers in Tamil cinema have gone berserk in terms of the box-office collections of Ajith and Vijay’s films respectively. The imaginary numbers have soared as high as Rs 100 crores within three days. However, industry veterans and office-bearers of Tamil Nadu say that it is too early to talk about the box-office predictions. A three-decade old trade pundit told DT Next, “I wonder where these trackers get their numbers from. It is surprising to see the worldwide box-office numbers in 3 days while one of the Pongal releases opened in Canada only on Friday. Distributors get to know the collection by the end of the day and hand it over to the producers. But the real numbers will not be leaked by producers this early. In the case of Thunivu, Lyca is the overseas distributor and it will take a while even for them to know the collection. The current numbers are being put out with some hidden agenda.”

While fans of Ajith and Vijay are involved in bashing the films of the opposite party both films have started picking up from Saturday. Srither, Joint Secretary of Tamil Nadu Theatre Owner’s Association said, “Thunivu and Varisu’s businesses started picking up from Saturday and will have good run for the next few days. Apart from that, the Republic Day weekend will also help these films to have an extended theatrical run. So, we will know the real numbers only by the end of the month.”