Sivakarthikeyan’s ‘Parasakthi’, which had a very high build up with people’s expectations and was released on January 10, has received lukewarm responses from audiences and critics alike. Although the film has received a lot of praise for its concept that “realistically” portrays the Hindi imposition agitations that happened in the 1960s and “wonderful performances” of the main cast, it also contained a few exaggerations that were fictional in nature. Judging by the box office collection, the film opened up with positive footfalls because of the popularity of the lead actor, Sivakarthikeyan and more interest towards the content and political context in the film and the direction of Sudha Kongara.
Strong opening day sees Rs 12.5 crore
As per the box office report from Sacnilk, there was a good response to ‘Parasakthi’ on the opening day, which grossed Rs 12.5 crore. In most urban and semi-urban areas, Saturday received good footfalls, with audiences relishing the appropriate mix of socio-political drama and family entertainment along with some good humour. However, collections fell on Sunday, with Rs 10.1 crore being raked in (19.2% less than day one). Industry experts say that the first weekend is promising, but the drop is indicative of the film’s polarising reception, which would sustain or dwindle based on word-of-mouth.
Sivakarthikeyan’s film drops deep
Monday was a tough day for ‘Parasakthi’, with collections reporting a dismal collection of Rs 3 crore, registering a 70.3% drop as compared to Sunday. The drop in business was because of the film’s controversial treatment of the events, resulting in the Tamil Nadu Youth Congress urging for a ban on the film. The controversies, coupled with the adverse reviews as well as competition with other films, are resulting in a drop in collections. On Tuesday, the box office report read “Only Rs 0.57 crore”, signaling that the declining attendance needs a boost from positive word of mouth or festive season to be uplifted.
Film’s plot and debate keep discussions
The controversy certainly didn’t affect the movie’s plot: The student-led anti-Hindi agitation and the backdrop of the 1960s still play an irreplaceable part in today’s headlines. The sequences of tussles with the establishment, local squabbles, and heads of state have spurred social media chatter and found their way into the news cycle, so much so that ‘Parasakthi’ finds itself outliving an ordinarily short-lived box-office boost owing to its star cast and its curiosity value, doubly so due to the controversy surrounding the film’s messages and the mixed reviews it has garnered on social media. On day four, it had totalled Rs 26.17 crore, a refreshing but meandering compilation, buoyed by star power and curiosity but bogged down by controversy and turbulent views.DISCLAIMER: The box office numbers in this article are compiled from our proprietary sources and diverse public data. While we strive for accuracy, all figures are approximate unless explicitly mentioned, offering a fair representation of the project’s box office performance. We are open to feedback and suggestions on toientertainment@timesinternet.in.
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