Despite an onslaught of negative reviews and a concerted effort by India’s tax collectors to impede the film’s opening day screenings, India’s big budget fantasy-adventure Puli scored a solid opening day domestic gross of 216 million rupees (US$3.3 million) on Wednesday. Given the film’s 1.18 billion rupee ($18 million) budget, it’s a reasonably good start, but the producers will be hoping for many more good days ahead if they’re to break even on the effects-heavy film.
Image credit: SKT Studios
Lead actor Vijay’s recent movies have been plagued by mishaps and government interventions, and Puli was no exception. On the day before Puli's worldwide release India’s Income Tax Department conducted raids at Vijay’s Chennai home and office, as well as the offices of director Chimbu Devan and several of the film’s other actors. According to sources close to the film, delivery of digital prints to some theaters was delayed while authorities investigated alleged tax evasion charges on the part of those they raided.
“The Hindu” reported that Puli actors Vijay, Samantha and Nayanthara have collectively evaded taxes to the tune of 250 million rupees ($3.8 million). It’s been rumored that actor Vijay personally put up a deposit of 130 million rupees ($2 million) with the IT on Wednesday morning to clear the way for the film’s release.
Elsewhere, screenings in North America were delayed when Tamil and Telugu language versions were mixed up and sent to the wrong theaters. Screenings got underway by Wednesday afternoon, but some theaters were still dark on Thursday.
Given the timing of the raids, many speculated that the government actions may have been politically motivated. The International Business Times wrote:
Vijay has often become the victim of dirty politics. All his movies in the last couple of years have landed in one or the other controversy. His Thalaivaa was unofficially banned in the state just before the release, when exhibitors boycotted the movie citing bomb threat if the film was played in theatres.
Ironically, in the film Vijay plays a character who comes to the defense of peasants in a kingdom that attacks them when they fail to pay their taxes.
Critics reviews were mixed to poor, with much praise for the film’s visual effects and costumes, but with biting and even savage criticism of the plotting, pace, acting, music, and story logic.
Among others, "The Hindustan Times" called Puli a "fantastic flop," "utterly disappointing" and "unbearable to watch," and gave the film just 1 star out of 5. "The Times of India" gave Puli 2.5 stars, calling it "a fantasy... told in an amateur fashion" that "fails to entertain."
Puli faces formidable competition from the Akshay Kumar comedy Singh is Bliing, which opened on Thursday. If Puli is to make back its investment it will need kinder treatment from moviegoers than it has received thus far from critics and government authorities.
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