Chiyaan Vikram’s Thangalaan Hindi version a hit in North India, surpasses trade predictions
Director Pa Ranjith's latest period drama Thangalaan has defied trade expectations in North India, with its Hindi version gaining impressive traction despite a limited release.
Vikram in Thangalaan
Director Pa Ranjith's latest period drama Thangalaan has exceeded trade expectations with its performance in North India, particularly with its Hindi version. Despite a limited release, the film has gained significant momentum in the region, suggesting strong potential to grow into a commercial success.
The Hindi version, starring Chiyaan Vikram in the lead role, debuted on 300-400 screens. This modest release, compared to larger Tamil blockbusters, did not stop the film from making its mark. Audience reactions have been overwhelmingly positive, especially given the film’s smaller scale in comparison to other Tamil films entering the Hindi market.
Film exhibitor Akshay Rathi observed, "Thangalaan had a limited release, but in the screen count that it has, it's actually catching up. It's going from strength to strength. Word of mouth will spread, and more people will take to it quickly."
What makes Thangalaan stand out is not just its content but also the efforts made by Chiyaan Vikram in promoting the film across North India. Unlike other Tamil releases, Vikram personally invested time and effort ahead of the Hindi version’s launch, a move that has clearly paid off.
"The storytelling and the narrative grip you—that's the one thing that works for every film. Once you manage to do that, it's just a matter of time before you find your way to a larger audience," Akshay said while reflecting on the film’s growing success in the Hindi market.
There is optimism that as demand grows, additional shows will be programmed to meet the rising interest in Thangalaan. However, the film has faced challenges in securing multiplex screens due to a pre-release streaming deal.
National multiplex chains require all new Hindi films, including dubbed versions, to stay off streaming platforms for a minimum of eight weeks. Movies that cannot comply with this rule often struggle to find screen space in North India's major multiplexes.
Despite this hurdle, the producers have already declared Thangalaan a commercial success, with its Telugu and Tamil versions alone grossing over Rs 100 crore globally.