Why Vettaiyan May Become A Blockbuster

‘The
combination
of
star
power,
compelling
storytelling,
and
action-packed
drama
promises
to
set
the
box
office
ablaze
and
kickstart
the
new
quarter
on
a
spectacular
high
note.’

The
sharp
dialogues
of

Andha
Kanoon
(1983),
the
captivating
strains
of

Aana
Jaana
Laga
Rahega
from

Geraftaar
(1985),
and
the
vibrant
energy
of

Jumma
Chumma
De
De
from

Hum
(1991)
have
left
an
indelible
mark
on
the
memories
of
those
who
grew
up
in
the
’80s
and
’90s.

These
films
celebrated
the
artistry
of
two
icons
of
Indian
cinema
—
Amitabh
Bachchan
and
Rajinikanth
—
creating
a
rich
tapestry
of
nostalgia
that
continues
to
resonate
with
fans.

Come
October
10,
this
cinematic
history
will
be
revived
as,
after
a
gap
of
33
years
since
the
release
of

Hum,
these
legends
reunite
for
the
fourth
time
in
the
Tamil
action
thriller

Vettaiyan.

This
time,
it’s
not
just
a
celebration
for
fans
but
also
brands.
Companies
like
Bisleri,
Reliance
Digital,
Samsung,
and
Mahindra
&
Mahindra
have
already
partnered
with
the
film’s
producers
to
capitalise
on
the

Thalaiva
and
Big
B
fever.

In
addition,
as
with
any
Rajini
movie,
private
companies
in
Tamil
Nadu
are
offering
special
screenings
and
granting
employees
leave
to
watch
the
film
during
its
first
week
in
theatres.

“We
have
already
entered
into
co-branding
tie-ups
with
Bisleri,
Reliance
Digital,
and
Samsung.
There
will
also
be
in-film
advertising
for
Mahindra
N
Series
vehicles,”
said
a
senior
executive
from
Lyca
Productions,
promoted
by
Sri
Lankan
Tamil
entrepreneur
Subaskaran
Allirajah.

Though
Rajini
has
hardly
endorsed
any
brands,
he
remains
one
of
the
most
sought-after
untapped
celebrities
in
India.

During
the
launch
of
Rajini’s
last
film,

Jailer,
Bisleri,
India’s
leading
packaged
drinking
water
brand,
released
limited-edition
packs
featuring
the
superstar.

In
the
trailers
for
the
current
movie,
one
can
spot
Rajini
driving
Mahindra
vehicles.

RajinI’s
past
movies
have
been
well-leveraged
by
brands
like
Royal
Enfield,
Airtel,
BookMyShow,
SpiceJet,
and
Cadbury
(Mondelez),
all
of
which
launched
national
campaigns
around
them.

Box
office
numbers
support
the
Rajini
fever,
as
his
last
seven
movies
—

Jailer,
Annaatthe,
Darbar,
Petta,
2.0,
Kaala
and

Kabali
—
collected
Rs
2,500
crore
to
Rs
3,000
crore
(Rs
25
billion
to
Rs
30
billion).
These
figures
exclude

Lal
Salaam,
in
which
he
made
a
cameo
and
which
collected
only
around
Rs
17
crore
(Rs
170
million).

Theatre
chains
are
gearing
up
for
the
monumental
reunion
of
these
two
legends.

“At
PVR
Inox,
we
are
preparing
for
a
grand
opening,
with
over
2,000
shows
planned
across
India.
The
excitement
is
palpable,
and
we
anticipate
an
extraordinary
response,
with
700,000
footfalls
expected
during
the
opening
weekend
alone,”
said
Gautam
Dutta,
chief
executive
officer
of
revenue
and
operations
at
PVR
Inox.

According
to
trade
analyst
Manobala
Vijayabalan,
the
fact
that
the
movie
comes
from
T
J
Gnanavel,
the
director
of
the
critically
acclaimed

Jai
Bhim,
raises
its
market
value
as
well.

“The
hype
has
reached
new
heights
since
the
release
of
the
trailer,
and
bookings
have
picked
up
in
areas
where
they
opened,
with
shows
selling
out.

Vettaiyan
is
sure
to
achieve
success
at
the
box
office,
bringing
joy
to
the
collaborating
brands
and
profits
to
the
trade
industry,”
Vijayabalan
added.

Interestingly,
despite
this
brand
fever,
Rajini
has
only
endorsed
two
brands
in
his
entire
career,
which
began
in
1975.

One
was
Palm
Cola
in
the
1980s,
a
100
per
cent
natural
local
cola
brand
by
the
State
Palmgur
and
Fibre
Marketing
Co-operative
Federation.

The
actor
appeared
in
a
television
commercial
for
the
brand
to
support
palm
climbers
and
the
regional
industry.

The
second
was
Hoote,
a
voice-based
social
media
app
co-founded
by
his
daughter,
Soundarya
Vishagan,
launched
in
2021.

On
the
other
hand,
Amitabh
Bachchan
endorses
at
least
20
brands,
including
Tata
Sky,
Kalyan
Jewellers,
Navratna
Oil,
Tanishq,
Mankind
Pharma,
and
TVS
Jupiter,
among
others.

According
to
a
recent
report,
Bachchan
ranked
ninth
in
the
list
of
top
endorsers,
with
a
brand
value
of
$83.6
million.

To
capitalise
on
the
global
brand
value
of
these
superstars,
a
group
of
branding
experts
led
by
Lyca’s
head,
G
K
M
Tamil
Kumaran,
and
operations
chief
Nishanthan
Niruthan
is
spearheading
the
brand
campaign
for
Lyca
Productions.

“We
are
going
to
have
special
shows
for
our
employees
and
well-wishers,”
said
a
senior
executive
from
a
financial
sector
company
in
Chennai.

Despite
the
fanfare,
many
still
believe
that
content
is
king.

“The
combination
of
star
power,
compelling
storytelling,
and
action-packed
drama
promises
to
set
the
box
office
ablaze
and
kickstart
the
new
quarter
on
a
spectacular
high
note.
We
are
confident

Vettaiyan
will
be
nothing
short
of
a
blockbuster,”
Dutta
added.

It
remains
to
be
seen
how
brands
will
further
capitalise
on
the
fan
excitement,
especially
with
Big
B
also
joining
the
party.