Smaller films are striking a chord with audiences, while several big-budget projects have failed to deliver.
Published Jul 15, 2025 | 8:00 AM ⚊ Updated Jul 15, 2025 | 8:00 AM
Mid-year report of Tamil cinema. (X)
The Tamil film industry had a rough year in 2024, with major releases like Indian 2, Kanguva, and The Greatest of All Time (GOAT) receiving largely negative reviews.
Despite the criticism, GOAT emerged as a superhit, buoyed by the star power of Vijay. However, Suriya’s Kanguva and Kamal Haasan’s Indian 2 turned out to be box office disasters.
A similar pattern has continued in 2025. Smaller films are striking a chord with audiences, while several big-budget projects have failed to deliver.
In the first half of the year, six films have been declared superhits — with Ajith’s Good Bad Ugly being the only one headlined by an A-list star.
Ajith’s Vidaamuyarchi, the first big-budget Tamil release of January, failed to meet audience and critical expectations. Despite its grand scale, the film underperformed at the box office, earning only ₹135 crore globally against a reported budget of over ₹175 crore, according to Sacnilk.
However, Ajith bounced back strongly with Good Bad Ugly, which turned out to be the biggest hit of his career. The film grossed an impressive ₹246 crore worldwide, emerging as a major box office success.
Directed by Adhik Ravichandran, the movie had all the ingredients of a commercial entertainer. While it received mixed reviews from critics, Anirudh Ravichander’s music and mass appeal made it a treat for Ajith fans.
Meanwhile, Sasikumar and Simran’s Tourist Family emerged as a surprise hit, grossing ₹86 crore worldwide. Directed by Abishan Jeevinth, the film struck a chord with audiences through its relatable storyline and well-timed humor, making it a crowd-pleaser in theatres.
A still from the film ‘Tourist Film’. (X)
Pradeep Ranganathan continued his winning streak with Dragon, directed by Aswath Marimuthu. The film earned an impressive ₹150 crore globally, with ₹83 crore coming from Tamil Nadu alone. Featuring a strong ensemble cast including Anupama Parameswaran, Kayadu Lohar, Mysskin, KS Ravikumar, and Gautham Vasudev Menon, Dragon offered all the ingredients of a successful entertainer.
It also marked another profitable venture for AGS Entertainment, following the success of GOAT.
Manikandan’s Kudumbasthan emerged as another small-budget film that turned into a superhit. Following the success of his previous film Lover, this back-to-back win is steadily establishing Manikandan as a rising star. Kudumbasthan delivered solid returns, collecting nearly ₹27 crore in India, according to Sacnilk — a profitable figure given its modest budget.
Soori’s Maaman, though met with lukewarm critical reviews, resonated well with family audiences in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities. The film turned out to be a sleeper hit, grossing over ₹40 crore globally — a strong performance for a small-scale production, and one that further boosted Soori’s growing stature as a lead actor.
In a surprise turn, Sundar C’s Madha Gaja Raja — delayed for 12 years — finally released during the Pongal season and turned into a hit. Starring Vishal, the film tapped into the family audience segment and went on to collect over ₹50 crore, proving that delayed projects can still find box office success.
Other major releases in the first half of the year included Vikram’s Veera Dheera Sooran, Suriya’s Retro, Kamal Haasan’s Thug Life, Vijay Sethupathi’s Ace, and Dhanush’s Kuberaa. Despite heavy pre-release promotions and high expectations, these films failed to make a significant impact at the box office.
A still from the film ‘Thug Life’. (X)
Among these, Kamal Haasan’s Thug Life turned out to be a major disappointment, earning only around ₹99 crore at the box office. The much-anticipated reunion of Kamal Haasan and Mani Ratnam failed to impress, with the film receiving largely negative reviews from audiences.
Initially, Raj Kamal Films International had announced that the film would premiere on OTT eight weeks after its theatrical release. However, due to its poor performance, the makers opted for an early release on Netflix within a month. This move violated the theatrical window agreement, leading the theatre association to impose a ₹20 lakh penalty for breach of contract.
Suriya’s Retro arrived with high expectations but ultimately received an average response. Interestingly, both Suriya and director Karthik Subbaraj produced the film, which reportedly collected ₹235 crore globally. While the makers claimed it was a profitable venture, the overall reception was mixed.
Vikram’s Veera Dheera Sooran brought some relief for the actor, who had been waiting for a strong box office comeback. The film was praised for its content and stylish execution, earning around ₹63 crore worldwide. However, for an actor of Vikram’s stature — known for delivering blockbusters — the film fell short of being a major hit.
Dhanush’s Kuberaa was another highly anticipated release. While the bilingual film performed well in the Telugu states, it struggled to connect with audiences in Tamil Nadu. Reports suggest the film earned only around ₹20 crore from the Tamil Nadu box office.
The underperformance of several big-budget films at the box office highlights a clear shift in audience preferences — star power alone is no longer enough. Viewers are increasingly drawn to strong content, and films without a compelling narrative struggle to make an impact. Ajith’s Good Bad Ugly stands as a rare exception, succeeding despite being a mass entertainer with less emphasis on story.
The box office failures of Thug Life and Vidaamuyarchi reinforce the idea that big stars and massive budgets don’t guarantee success. In today’s landscape, where securing OTT deals has also become more challenging, a film needs a solid storyline or emotional connect to resonate with audiences.
The downfall of Kamal Haasan’s Thug Life and Indian 2 can largely be attributed to their unrealistic treatment, while Suriya’s much-hyped Retro fell short of expectations and didn’t carry the signature touch of a Karthik Subbaraj film.
Looking ahead to the second half of the year, the Tamil industry is banking on several high-profile releases, including Rajinikanth’s Coolie, Dhanush’s Idli Kadai, and Vijay Sethupathi’s Thalaivan Thalaivi — all eagerly anticipated by fans and trade circles alike.
(Edited by Sumavarsha)
