New Delhi: Suriya’s much-anticipated Rs 300 crore epic fantasy Kanguva hit theatres Thursday to not-so-great reviews, but a big challenge for the release is a film that’s just not letting its grip loose over the box office. Amaran, made on a comparatively lesser budget of Rs 120 crore has already made Rs 164.5 crore in India in its third week, and Rs 250 crore worldwide.
Amaran, the Tamil-language biographical action war film, is directed by Rajkumar Periasamy and stars Sivakarthikeyan as Major Mukund Varadarajan and Sai Pallavi as his wife, Indhu Rebecca Varghese. It is Sivakarthikeyan’s highest-grossing movie to date.
Varadarajan lost his life while leading an operation in Shopian, Kashmir against terrorists on 25 April 2014. He was posthumously awarded the Ashok Chakra. The movie has impressed critics and fans alike, with Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin taking to X to share his take on the movie.
நண்பர் கலைஞானி @ikamalhaasan அவர்களது அன்பு அழைப்பை ஏற்று, நேற்று #அமரன் திரைப்படம் பார்த்தேன்.
புத்தகங்களைப் போல் – திரைப்பட வடிவிலும் உண்மைக் கதைகளை இன்றைய இளைஞர்களிடம் கொண்டு சேர்ப்பது மகிழ்ச்சியளிக்கிறது!
தமிழ்நாட்டைச் சேர்ந்த இராணுவ வீரர் மேஜர் முகுந்த் வரதராஜன் அவர்களது… pic.twitter.com/ivp6OrHufb
— M.K.Stalin (@mkstalin) October 31, 2024
Stalin has lauded the film’s team for capturing the “bravery and dedication of Tamil Nadu army veteran Major Mukund Varadarajan.”
Kanguva, on the other hand, has received mixed to negative reviews from both fans and critics, who have pointed out the lack of emotional depth in the plot.
“Kanguva is an epic action spectacle, and has great visuals, but it is more surface-level. That might not work for everybody,” said film critic Ramesh Bala.
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Clash & competition
Sivakarthikeyan and Sai Pallavi’s chemistry and performances have been lauded as the highlights of Amaran. The movie has also been compared to the 2021 Bollywood hit, Shershaah (2021), starring Sidharth Malhotra and Kiara Advani. Though Sivakarthikeyan is not happy with the comparison, there are certain similar strands that have worked—from the tragic love story to the protagonist’s bravery as an Army personnel.
“Sivakarthikeyan is emerging as a tier 1 star and is establishing a fan base with family audiences and kids, and Amaran is his biggest hit. There is nothing bad to say about the movie. It has patriotism, action, and romance, and everything is packaged well,” said Bala.
There were also news reports of how Kanguva’s plan to be the solo movie during its release has been thwarted by the success of Amaran, and screenings are now shared between the two in Tamil, Telugu, and Malayalam. The competition is especially tough in Tamil Nadu.
Kanguva has faced its own share of challenges, including a delayed release to avoid a clash with Rajinikanth and Amitabh Bachchan-starrer Vettaiyan.
The success of Amaran has meant its OTT release has been pushed to December to make the most of its box office stay. Trade analyst Sreedhar Pillai shared an update on X outlining how it has become the first Tamil film to have achieved this feat.
Exclusive- Huge! #Amaran #OTT streaming pushed by a week! The @Siva_Kartikeyan blockbuster was supposed to to be streaming 28 days after release. Now seeing its phenomenal run in theatres, #Netflix has pushed the OTT premiere by a week! First time happening for a Tamil film! 👍👌… pic.twitter.com/y0yM0hGFYN
— Sreedhar Pillai (@sri50) November 11, 2024
(Edited by Prasanna Bachchhav)