Vijay Sethupathi’s Baththa directed by Balaji Tharaneetharan and produced by Atlee, was released in theatres on October 1st and has received positive responses from audiences and critics alike.
Many viewers, after watching Baththa, have claimed it is one of the best films released in Kollywood in recent times and have highly appreciated the performances of Vijay Sethupathi and child artist Master Sai Prithviraj.
Even though the film has received overwhelmingly positive word of mouth from audiences, its box office collections remain very average. According to reports, as of yesterday, Baththa has collected only around 12 crore in India.
This underwhelming box office collection has shocked trade circles. Consequently, many social media users are claiming that Kollywood audiences are unpredictable.
They note that even his last hit film, Thalaivan Thalaivii, which was just an average family entertainer, crossed more than 100 crore rupees at the box office. Hence, they argue that despite being a superior film, Baththa is not receiving good support from Kollywood audiences.
In response to this criticism by netizens, some trade experts clarify that because Baththa is a unique film with an emotional gangster concept, it might not have resonated well with audiences in B and C centres.
Also, they suggest that poor promotion might be another major reason for this underwhelming box office performance. They note that many people were not even aware of the film’s release, which is why ticket sales have been so low.
However, since Jailer 2 releases on October 15th, Baththa can enjoy a free run only for the next seven days. It remains to be seen whether its collections will pick up over the coming weekend and whether the film will end up as a profitable venture for its makers by the end of its theatrical run.
