After a promising second Saturday surge, Atharvaa's coming-of-age romantic drama 'Idhayam Murali' continued its stable run at the domestic box office on Day 10 (second Sunday). The film collected an estimated net total of approximately ₹1.46 crore in India, matching its Day 9 earnings and holding strong over the second weekend. This consistent performance has brought the film's total India net collection to a commendable ₹17.85 crore.
With its India gross collection now at ₹20.54 crore and an overseas gross of ₹4.50 crore, the film's total worldwide gross collection has crossed the ₹25 crore milestone, reaching ₹25.04 crore.
Second Weekend Holds Steady
The film's second weekend performance has been particularly encouraging, with both Day 9 and Day 10 collections remaining consistent at ₹1.46 crore each. This stability is noteworthy considering the film saw a reduction in screen count of approximately 40% for its second week. The drama-action film recorded a healthy overall Tamil occupancy of 37.85% on Day 10, with afternoon shows registering the highest turnout at 45.69%.
Directed and produced by Aakash Baskaran in his directorial debut, 'Idhayam Murali' stars Atharvaa in the titular role, alongside Kayadu Lohar, Preity Mukhundhan, and Fahadh Faasil in special appearances. The film also features Natty Subramaniam, composer Thaman S (in his return to acting after over two decades), Niharika NM, Sudhakar from the Parithabangal YouTube channel, and Dravid Selvam. The technical team includes cinematographer Manoj Paramahamsa, editor Pradeep E Ragav, and music composed by Thaman S.
Recovery and Upcoming Challenges
Produced on a reported modest budget of ₹25 crore, the film has now recovered approximately 71.4% of its budget through net collections in India. The film needs approximately ₹7.15 crore more to break even. However, with only three days of uninterrupted run before the release of Thalapathy Vijay's 'Jana Nayagan', which is expected to occupy the majority of screens, 'Idhayam Murali' faces a significant challenge to reach the break-even mark.
The film's storyline, which revolves around a young man navigating the emotional highs and lows of unrequited love, has resonated with family audiences and youth, contributing to its steady theatrical run. While the film received mixed critical reviews, the actors' performances and Thaman's background score have been particularly appreciated.