Chiyaan Vikram's "Iru Mugan" has got a fantastic start at the box office, and has become the second biggest opener for the actor after his blockbuster "I." From its two versions, the film has grossed over Rs. 50 crore in its first weekend.

"Iru Mugan" was released to a decent hype on Thursday, Sept. 8 in Tamil and Telugu ("Inkokkadu"). The film garnered mixed reviews and grossed Rs. 12.66 crore on the day of the release, earning Rs. 5.5 crore in Tamil Nadu alone, say trade reports.

Trade experts were expecting the movie to witness a huge drop in collection following the mixed reviews. To their surprise, "Iru Mugan" managed to retain good viewership, and earned Rs. 10.12 crore on its second day.

However, the collections saw a big jump on Saturday and Sunday as the Anand Shankar-directed movie minted Rs. 13.94 crore and Rs. 14.47 crore, respectively. It ended its first weekend at Rs. 51.19 crore from two versions. In Chennai alone, the flick earned Rs. 2.24 crore.

The good performance of Vikram-starrer has been largely credited to the timing of the release, as there are no big films being screened in theatres in Tamil Nadu. The collections are expected to improve on Tuesday, Sept. 13, due to the Bakrid holiday. 

The collection of "Iru Mugan," which stars Nayanthara and Nithya Menen as the female leads, has been good in Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh, while it has done decent business in Kerala. The multilingual flick has not been released in Karnataka due to the Cauvery water-sharing dispute between Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.

"Iru Mugan," which has been made with a budget of Rs. 40 crore, has to hold well for at least 10 days in order to be declared a 'hit' at the box office.