Venkat Prabhu thinks The GOAT didn't work in Telugu, Hindi due to Chennai Super Kings connect: ‘MI, RCB fans troll me’

Venkat Prabhu also claimed that despite their best efforts, they couldn't get MS Dhoni to make a cameo in the Vijay-starrer.

Published on: Sep 10, 2024, 11:11:03 IST

By Neeshita Nyayapati

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Director Venkat Prabhu has a theory for why his latest Vijay-starrer, The Greatest of All Time (The GOAT) did not work in Telugu and Hindi. Talking to fans on X (formerly Twitter) Spaces, the director used his trademark wit to conclude that his favourite Indian Premiere League (IPL) team could’ve been the reason. (Also Read: The GOAT box office collection day 5: Vijay's film sees over 50% drop on first Monday)

Vijay in a still from Venkat Prabhu's The Greatest of All Time.

‘We are all CSK fans’

The GOAT’s much-talked-about climax occurs at the Chepauk Stadium and is set against a Chennai Super Kings (CSK) match. Vijay’s character races against time to stop a bomb from exploding. While Venkat was happy with the output, and he claims so was Vijay, he says this aspect might have limited the film’s appeal outside Tamil Nadu.

“Because of that, Mumbai Indians (MI) and RCB (Royal Challengers Bengaluru) fans troll me,” he joked in Tamil, adding, “We are all CSK fans - it’s in our blood and we can’t deny that. Maybe, it’s because of the CSK connection that this movie didn’t appeal much to Telugu and Hindi audiences. I don’t think they enjoyed the moment like we did.”

According to Sacnilk.com, The GOAT earned ₹44 crore net on its opening day in India, ₹39.15 crore in Tamil, ₹1.85 crore in Hindi, and ₹3 crore in Telugu. It made ₹151 crore net approximately in India so far. According to the producers, AGS Entertainment, the film has crossed ₹288 crore gross worldwide.

Venkat also explained the climax as a “Die Hard-style scene”. He also claimed that while they considered a cameo by former CSK captain MS Dhoni to add gravitas to the scene, it never materialised. “We couldn’t make it happen,” he said.

About The GOAT

Vijay plays dual roles in The GOAT, which also stars Prashanth, Prabhu Deva, Mohan, Ajmal Ameer, Jayaram, Sneha, Laila, Meenakshi Chaudhary, Vaibhav, Yogi Babu, Premgi Amaren, and Yugendran. The film tells the story of Gandhi, a former leader of a special anti-terrorism squad who teams up with his old co-workers to address issues from his past. Sivakarthikeyan and Trisha Krishnan have cameo appearances in the film.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Neeshita Nyayapati
Despite having a Master's degree in Journalism and over a decade of experience in print and digital media as a field reporter and sub-editor at organisations such as The Times of India and Reader's Digest, Neeshita Nyayapati remains a movie buff first and a Chief Content Producer second. She fell in love with movies in childhood and believes nothing matches the magic of watching a good film that moves you with a warm tub of popcorn in hand. Her love for writing about cinema follows that. Come Friday, you'll find her at her happy place, the movies, catching the latest rom-com or masala offering, for reviews or otherwise. As for the rest of the week, she's here reporting the juiciest news in Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam, Kannada and Hindi or bringing out the best of celebs in interviews. While her niche is Telugu cinema, Neeshita likes to dabble in a little bit of everything to stay up to date. From film announcements to scandals and hard news angles, she has explored it all. A good book, a comforting cup of hot chocolate, puppy kisses and a stunning beach view are all she needs to unwind. Her passion for biking and travelling has taken her to various places across the country. She has found peace in everything from the frozen lakes of Gangtok to the coffee plantations of Coorg and the dense forests of Bandipur, to the monasteries of Darjeeling. But no matter where she goes, Neeshita loves coming across inspiring and moving stories.Read More

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