Valimai : Like in Vivegam - this too banks on Ajith star power

Valimai has all the stuff that die hard fans of Ajith want and that too packed in first half. Second half, director tries to bring in mushy mushy stuff to make the ` family' crowds link to a subject that is as alien as a sci-fi film. Here this attempt to cater to the family crowd creates so many cringe scenes and looks like the director just poured all those dramatic scenes on you . For all those who cheered the biker Ajith and his punch lines and decibels kept going up with each time the accelerator starts spinning, the second half is like putting them to sleep. So to wake them up, you get the action chase scenes pop up.

A dialogue in the film - "Nobody's gonna ask how we earned...Nobody's gonna research how we succeeded.. We must succeed, we must earn money". The film was made to suit Boney Kapoor's arrogance that if you have a STAR, everything goes. No other actors or their characterizations matter. Despite all this, Huma Qureshi does excel. For all the pre- release hype by Karthikeya , he turns out be yet another dummy piece. Now this music part is as we know a dud but the BGM is so messy that Ghibran ( he gets a thank you card ??) and Yuvan just tore it apart. Nirav Shah - stunt master Dilip  and Ajith are three guys who have made what little you can sit through the 3 hr movie . Nearly close to half of the movie is  unbearable..

Coming to Ajith, in some places he looks very lean and fresh, in others he is puffed up. Probably it was the 3 year time that an actor has to wait it out for shoots. If you liked Vivegam - then Valimai is blockbuster for you. If you did not- then it is ten times worse .

Valimai distributors want Ajith special promo video after preview ?

 As Valimai release date nears ( Feb 25th), distributors and theater owners have asked Madurai Anbu to get a special promo video featuring Ajith speaking directly to audience. This comes after a few leading film distributors saw Valimai at a special screening in Chennai.

One reason cited is that the marketing of  Vijay's Beast Arabic Kuthu song by Sun TV and director Nelson. The first video as teaser with Vijay's voice and later  the song- dance itself has created a hype that has gone beyond the expected reach. A video with  Ajith himself speaking directly to the camera with a behind the scenes shots should do the trick feel the Valimai buyers. Also no song ( at least one) by now has gone viral.

As expected Ajith has said a NO. His argument is that a film will run on merit and not on fan hysteria and he has never catered to fan clubs or that culture. The insecurity or fear that  gripped theater owners after Vijay Beast kuthu song is misplaced says trade analysts. The high stakes running is one reason for the fear ast hey cannot afford any little drop in collections .

There is a talk that  it has only bike stunts- guns , the film has nothing much to offer to an audience that looks beyond Star Ajith or  Thala Ajith. Boney Kapoor sold AP/ TS for Rs4 crores but now he has to settle for half the price - Pawan Kalyan - Rana 's Bheema Nayakalu is coming on same day. In Hindi, he knows that Valimai would get little as hyped up Gangubhai would be first choice.

A few making of Valimai scenes are being put together to increase the hype of the film and keep the tempo for next four days. Boney got daughter Jhanvi to promote on social media and hopes to get more like Ajay Devgn - Udhaynidhi  Stalin to join.as they have done films for him. Any way trade is not worried as there is a safety net - Boney - Ajith's third venture that starts on March 9th at Hyderabad. Boney tells Pinkvilla that there would be a fourth too.

Valimai to pull crowds on Ajith stardom v/s Baahubali track record and heavy promotions

 If Ajith's  Valimai  is a blockbuster hit in Tamil Nadu, it would forever seal his position as Badshah of Box Office. Valimai's success is not like any of the earlier hits in the career of Ajith. His film with just the usual trailor- singles release on YoutUbe and Twitter is pitted against RRR releasing a week ahead in January 7th. Unprecedented pre release promotions in Tamil Nadu for RRR - a Telugu film dubbed in Tamil, took place. After a press meet, RRR team landed up again for a live show with top draws Jr NTR and Ram Charan  speaking in Tamil. Live Telecast on YouTube etc. The publicity hype does to a great extent influences hard core movie goers and gets them to movie halls. The audience who are not Ajith fans would definitely want to go for RRR as it comes with the most selling tag - S S Rajamouli the director of Baahubali.

How strong is the influence of Baahubali in the public mind ?. If anything to go by TV channels TRP ratings, every repeat of Baahubali 1-2 parts always gets good TRP's even now. Secondly last one week has shown that public comes to theaters to see grandeur and not content alone. Many Tamil films with good content were yanked off while Pushpa - Spiderman - Matrix continued to be screened even in a Tier 3 areas. Valimai being a Zee production , it is sure that the film would come on Zee5. Will this keep the family audience away ?. Yet another factor is that RRR 's Tamil Nadu rights os with production giant Lyca who has big ticket films like Indian 2 among others under production.

Trade wise, Ajith's previous outing Nerkonda Parvai by H Vinoth ( who is director of Valimai) did not do the expected business and the producer Boney had to compensate the losses to buyers. As it was a remake sans the trappings of a Mass Hero film, it was not unexpected. The film's Tamil Nadu theatrical rights has been sold to Madurai Anbu for Rs 65 crores . As the practice, the film has been sold in parts to various areas and theaters.  From January 13th onwards for five days ( pongal holidays), Valimai has to collect Rs 140 crores gross to make a profit for trade. This amount was reached by Ajith's Viswasam. The catch is that it was promoted as a family entertainer while Valimai is shown as high octane action films. A single on love for mother was released but it has not stuck in any one's  memory.

Andhra / TS markets are with Boney Kapoor and so also North India. Both of these markets are dicey for the market conditions are bad due to Omicron - AP Ministry war with theaters and after RRR comes Radhe Shyam of Prabhas releasing on same day. Kerala and Karnataka has been sold for a price that is lower than of Pushpa. Kerala moves from January 1st for no night shows. Yahiya has bought Overseas for Rs 16 crores. USA - UK situation is going from bad to worse due to Omicron and EU has put 25% limit on movie hall occupancy.

Going by all this data, Ajith's stardom is at test to overcome the hurdles. However Ajith and same director H Vinoth are doing one more film for Boney Kapoor. Co Producer Zee has the TV- OTT- digital rights and so is insulated from the ground market conditions.