The makers trimmed the film by 18 minutes to enhance its engagement. The revised version is being screened in theatres from 30 September.
Published Sep 30, 2024 | 2:15 PM ⚊ Updated Sep 30, 2024 | 2:15 PM
'Meiyazhagan' runtime has been trimmed following audience feedback. (X)
The rural drama Meiyazhagan, starring Karthi and Aravind Swami, has been performing well at the box office since its release. Directed by Prem Kumar, the film revolves around human relationships and has been appreciated for its emotional depth and nostalgic storytelling.
However, despite positive reviews, audiences criticised the lengthy runtime of two hours and 57 minutes. In response to this feedback, the makers have trimmed the film by 18 minutes to enhance its engagement. The revised version is playing in theatres from Monday, 30 September.
Fans who have already seen the original version are making beelines to the cinema halls again, curious to know which scenes have been removed.
The trimmed version of Meiyazhagan aims to provide a more focused narrative while retaining the emotional impact that made the movie resonate with viewers.
Delivered by the director of the hit film 96 (2018), Meiyazhagan tells a story set over one night. It focuses primarily on the characters played by Karthi and Aravind Swami. Both actors impressed audiences with their authentic performances while bringing real-life moments to the big screen.
Karthi’s portrayal of a man reconnecting with his cousin, played by Aravind Swami, struck a chord with the viewers. Supporting roles by Sri Divya, Rajkiran, Saran, and Devadharshini also drew wide applause for their emotional content.
The technical aspects further added value to the film. Govind Vasandha’s music elevated the emotional moments. Mahendiran Jayaraju’s cinematography and Govindrajs editing complemented the overall visual appeal.
#Meiyazhagan terrific response with family audiences during the weekend. Now a trimmed version will play from today! pic.twitter.com/KNfIvPgW4U
— Sreedhar Pillai (@sri50) September 30, 2024
Meiyazhagan grossed over ₹16 crore globally by the end of its first weekend. On Sunday (29 September) alone, the film earned ₹6 crore worldwide, with ₹4 crore coming from Tamil Nadu.
According to the tracking website Sacnilk, the film earned around ₹5.60 crore across all languages in India on its third day. The Tamil version saw 48.69 percent occupancy on 29 September, indicating strong audience interest.
The film’s Telugu version, titled Sathyam Sundaram, has also been performing well, despite facing competition from Jr NTR’s Devara: Part 1.
Meanwhile, senior Telugu actor Akkineni Nagarjuna, in his X post, praised the movie for its solid content. He said he watched the film with a smile on his face and went to bed with the same smile. Nagarjuna also mentioned that Meiyazhagan reminded him of Oopiri (2016), where he shared the screen with Karthi for the first time.
Dear brother Karthi, I saw your film #SatyamSundaram last night!! You and Arvind ji were just too too good… I had a smile throughout watching you and went to sleep with the same smile… Brought back so many childhood memories… and also memories of our film #oopiri .
I’m so…— Nagarjuna Akkineni (@iamnagarjuna) September 30, 2024
Karthi and Arvind Swami thanked the Tollywood hero for the love he showered on their latest outing.
Both Tamil and Telugu versions of the film continue to do well in their respective regions, with solid advance bookings for the fourth day of screening. Pre-bookings for 30 September are estimated to bring in around ₹1 crore, suggesting a steady performance even during weekdays.
Though Meiyazhagan may not fit the mould of a typical commercial entertainer, Prem Kumar’s directorial has struck a chord with audiences due to its mature, feel-good storytelling.
The Tamil movie beautifully portrays the complexities of family relationships. Karthi and Aravind Swami have been praised for their captivating performances.
(Edited by Y Krishna Jyothi)
