Mocked for being 'worse than AI', Chinese low-budget film ‘Niu Lai’ collects over Rs 24 crore

CHENNAI: A Chinese animated film made on an ultra-low budget has gone from being mocked online to taking on Hollywood blockbusters at the box office. ‘Niu Lai’ has collected over Rs 24 crore (17.1 million yuan or USD 2.5 million) competing with films like ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’ and Christopher Nolan’s ‘The Odyssey’.

Made by Xin Yumeng and Sun Lifang, the 86-minute animated film follows a young cow named Niu Lai, who grows up to become a warrior. The film was reportedly made on an estimated Rs 1 lakh budget.

‘Niu Lai’ box office: Film struggled in first 10 days

Released in China on August 5, ‘Niu Lai’ initially struggled to attract audiences, grossing just 7,705 yuan (Rs 1.09 lakh) in its first 10 days. According to Maoyan, the film earned about 10,000 yuan (Rs 1.42 lakh) during the period, with daily collections sometimes falling to as little as 200 yuan (Rs 2,840).

‘Niu Lai’ criticism: Film mocked on social media

The film was heavily criticised on social media for its visuals, animation and voice acting, with some calling it “worse than AI”.

On Douban, a Chinese movie-review platform, a viewer described it as “a symbol of the new internet troll culture" while another called it "unbelievably terrible and eye-opening", the Associated Press reported.

However, some viewers defended its production style. One Douban user even wondered whether its deliberately crude visuals were an attempt to convey a sense of “returning to one’s true self” in the age of AI, as reported by the Guardian.

‘Niu Lai’ box office surge: Film crosses 17 million yuan

The film’s fortunes soon changed. ‘Niu Lai’ surged to 8.2 million yuan (Rs 11.64 crore) on Monday (August 17), with nearly 300,000 admissions, according to Maoyan. Its total box-office collection has reached 17.1 million yuan (Rs 24.28 crore), the Associated Press reported.

(With inputs from AP)