When it comes to Ajith Kumar, Tamil cinema fans don’t just show up — they show out. And this summer, the superstar gave his loyal audience not one, but two dramatically different rides. In one corner, we had ‘Good Bad Ugly’ — an unapologetically over-the-top, action-packed entertainer. In the other, ‘Vidaamuyarchi’ — a moody thriller released sometime back soaked in suspense. Both films had Ajith front and center, but only one seems to be racing ahead at the box office.

Masala madness with ‘Good Bad Ugly’

Released on April 10, ‘Good Bad Ugly’ came in hot and loud — just like its title suggests. Directed by Adhik Ravichandran, this film is pure paisa vasool entertainment. Forget subtlety — this one’s about Ajith in not one, not two, but three larger-than-life avatars, complete with slow-mo struts, jaw-dropping stunts, and punchlines that would make 90s cinema proud.

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Fans lapped it up. On Day 1 alone, the film made a staggering Rs 28 crore in Tamil Nadu and a whopping Rs 51 crore worldwide. Day 2 didn’t see any slowdown either — the film pulled in another Rs 15 crore in TN and Rs 24 crore globally, keeping the momentum alive. Clearly, Ajith + massy moments = box office gold.

Serious turn with ‘Vidaamuyarchi’

Now, rewind to January’s Pongal season when ‘Vidaamuyarchi’ hit the screens. Directed by Magizh Thirumeni, the film saw Ajith playing a man on a desperate mission to find his missing wife. With shades of the 1997 Hollywood thriller ‘Breakdown’, the movie is more about inner turmoil and quiet intensity than flying kicks and flaming cars.

Shot primarily in Azerbaijan with some sequences in Thailand, the film also stars Arjun Sarja, Trisha Krishnan, and Regina Cassandra.

On paper, it had everything going for it — big names, exotic locations, a gripping premise. And it started strong too: Rs 25.5 crore on Day 1 in Tamil Nadu, Rs 47 crore worldwide. But unlike ‘Good Bad Ugly’, this one struggled to sustain.

Day 2 saw a sharper fall — Rs 10 crore in TN, Rs 20 crore globally. Maybe the emotional depth and slow-burn tension just didn’t click with the festival crowd.

Different flavors, different fates

It’s interesting to see how both films reflect two distinct sides of Ajith Kumar. In ‘Vidaamuyarchi’, he’s the silent, brooding hero fighting inner and outer battles.

In ‘Good Bad Ugly’, he’s the flamboyant force of nature, chewing up the screen and spitting out swag. Both performances are impressive in their own right, but the audience has spoken — this time, they’re here for the adrenaline rush.

From a production standpoint, ‘Vidaamuyarchi’ had its fair share of drama even before shooting began. Originally supposed to be directed by Vignesh Shivan, the project shifted hands to Magizh Thirumeni with a brand-new script.

Despite that, the film wrapped its shoot smoothly by December 2024, boasting sleek cinematography by Om Prakash and a moody score by Anirudh Ravichander. But even solid craft doesn’t always guarantee fireworks at the box office.

Meanwhile, ‘Good Bad Ugly’ leans heavily on nostalgia, fast cuts, and unfiltered fun — and that’s what’s clicking right now.

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