Vijay’s Mersal box-office numbers are fake, says a leading distributor in Chennai

In a video interview to We Talkies, a Tamil movie portal, well-known distributor Abirami Ramanathan said most of the collection numbers of Mersal have been inflated to create hype and draw audiences to cinemas.

The makers of Vijay’s Mersal are over the moon with the film’s performance at the box-office. It is rumoured that the film, released all over for Diwali, has grossed over Rs 200 crore worldwide, making it the second Tamil film to achieve the rare feat after Rajinikanth’s Enthiran. In a shocking turn of events, well-known distributor Abirami Ramanathan, who is also the owner of a popular mall in Chennai, claims that there is no proof to authenticate the box-office collection of Mersal. In his latest video interview to We Talkies, We Talkies, a popular Tamil movie portal, he said most of the collection numbers of Mersal have been inflated to create hype and draw audiences to cinemas. He said it’s a tactic that’s been used for a very long time.

Mersal stars Vijay in a triple role.

“I have been in this industry since 1976. Back then, we’d appoint people to sell tickets in black for inflated price just to create hype for a movie. When public realize the film’s ticket is being sold for an exorbitant rate, they’d be curious to know what’s there in the film. This is the same tactic that’s being followed even today. When you make people believe a film has earned Rs 200 crore, they don’t want to miss out on a film that’s making so much money. Box-office numbers are being shared openly because nobody can question its authenticity because there’s no proof. As a distributor, I can say that a producer can’t know the earnings of his film till the end of its theatrical run,” Ramanathan said. His comments have ruffled some feathers in the trade and have earned the wrath of Vijay’s fans on social media.

Unlock exclusive access to the story of India's general elections, only on the HT App. Download Now!

Directed by Atlee, Mersal features Vijay in a triple role. Upon release, the film faced stiff opposition from Modi-led government which took offense to GST-related dialogues in the film. The controversy surrounding the film became a national issue and it in turn helped the film draw audiences to cinemas.

Follow @htshowbiz for more