MadhaGajaRaja vs Varutha Padatha Valibar Sangam

Through the eyes of a common man, this upcoming weekend may appear to be a battle of the minions -- MadhaGajaRaja(MGR) vs Varutha Padatha Valibar Sangam(VPVS). However, it is keenly watched by industry players because of the intensity of the battle shaping up between Sivakarthikeyan and Vishal as they come face-to-face as they move in opposite directions in their career. Here is a side by side comparison by each category for both movies releasing this weekend.

Vishal vs Sivakarthikeyan - Playing the Number Game

Sivakarthikeyan is going all out to push himself to the next bracket of dependable heroes such as Jiiva, Jayam Ravi, Arya, Vishal,etc. through VPVS. Emerging confident through a solid hit in the form of Ethir Neechal, Sivakarthikeyan realizes the importance of cementing his star value through VPVS.

MGR is Vishal's 3rd movie this year after Samar and Pattathu Yaanai. Both his movies this year did not perform as well as expected. Once seen as an emerging competitor for Ilayathalapathy Vijay, Vishal is working hard to turnaround his career through MadhaGajaRaja.

Promotional Power

VPVS and MGR are aiming for the same target market. Sivakarthikeyan has been making whirlwind tours all over Tamil Nadu doing aggressive marketing and promotions. VPVS has occupied cover pages on Kumudam and other Tamil weeklies. There are non-stop teasers are aired on all major TV channels. Even though VPVS promotions look confusingly similar to Kedi Billa Killadi Ranga and Desingu Raja due to poster designs and star casts, VPVS still manages to reach higher buzz levels compared to that of MGR. 

Overall Package

Sivakarthikeyan, Sathyaraj and Soori are all in top form providing the necessary impetus for VPVS. Imman's songs have already become a hit with "Oodha Coloru Ribbon" occupying the charts. Madha Gaja Raja is relying primarily on Sundar C and Santhanam's form and their successful outing recently.

Box Office and Trade Expectations

Vishal decided to release Pattathu Yaanai ahead of MadhaGajaRaja since Vishal's think-tank felt that Vishal had better chances of delivering a hit through Pattathu Yaanai. Contrary to expectations, the BO result of Pattathu Yaanai has been a dampener on MadhaGajaRaja's trade. Without further delaying the release, Vishal has taken a big risk by releasing MadhaGajaRaja across all centers through his newly setup distribution house.

The theatres are getting pressure from both parties to ensure maximum number of screens are allocated to their respective movies during the Vinayaga Chathurthi long weekend. VPVS has modest budget and higher promotional spend compared to MGR. Overall, the trade expects better chances of registering higher return of investment through VPVS.