Sivakarthikeyan’s much-awaited action thriller Madharaasi is set for its grand theatrical release on September 5, with premieres being held today across select locations in the USA and Canada.
However, despite sky-high expectations following the blockbuster success of Amaran, the film’s North American pre-sales tell a different story — with earnings falling a massive 69% short of Amaran’s premiere numbers.
Directed by A R Murugadoss, Madharaasi marks the star’s first collaboration with the ace filmmaker.
While the announcement initially generated strong hype, the film’s promotional campaign was viewed as underwhelming, failing to sustain momentum.
Analysts believe the recent failure of Rajinikanth’s Coolie could indirectly help Madharaasi, but for now, its opening signals a soft start.
According to trade reports, Madharaasi closed at $40K in pre-sales across North America. Of this, $32.7K came from the USA, with the remainder from Canada.
In comparison, Amaran had raked in $129K in premiere pre-sales, making Madharaasi’s performance 68.99% lower.
The figures suggest a muted opening overseas, surprising many given Sivakarthikeyan’s growing stature in international markets.
However, industry watchers note that positive word-of-mouth from today’s premieres could still turn the tide over the weekend.
Apart from Sivakarthikeyan, the film stars Rukmini Vasanth, Vidyut Jammwal, and Biju Menon in pivotal roles.
Produced by N. Srilakshmi Prasad under the banner of Sri Lakshmi Movies, Madharaasi is reported to have been made on a â¹200 crore budget.
With such a heavy investment, box-office recovery will heavily depend on strong domestic performance and sustained overseas growth.