Vikram-starrer "I" has made a good start at the United States box office, which is one of the main markets for Tamil and Telugu films.
"I" (Tamil and Telugu versions) had a huge release in the United States and the film garnered fantastic response during its premiere shows. According to Andhraboxoffice, "I" has fetched more than $285K and is heading towards the $450K mark.
"Shankar's #I Heading for $450K Tuesday in USA. Already $285K+. Good start," tweeted Andhraboxoffice. The film is expected to have surpassed "Lingaa" premiere shows' collections, which reportedly amounts to $404K.
Besides the United States, "I" has opened to a grand response in other key markets including Tamil Nadu, AP/Nizam, Karnataka and Kerala. The film is expected to make record earnings on the first day itself. Details about the film's day one collections will be out soon. Trade experts and fans will be eager to learn if "I" surpasses Vijay's "Kaththi" and Rajinikanth's "Lingaa" in terms of opening day collections at the box office.
"I" has managed to get decent reviews from the critics, with many noting that Vikram's performance in the flick is one of his career's best. Critics have stated that "I" is a technically brilliant film, but has a wafer-thin storyline which becomes predictable at some point. They have also stated that the film's lengthy run time is one of its minus points.
The Vikram-starrer movie is likely to enjoy a good long weekend considering that the film has received amazing response for advanced booking during the Pongal/Sankranti holidays.
Besides the Tamil version, the Telugu dubbed version of the film is also expected to fare well at the box office. "I" is expected to collect over Rs. 7 crore share on the opening day at the AP/Nizam box office, reported Andhraboxoffice.
It needs to be seen whether the Hindi version of the film also performs well on its first day. Shankar is a well-known director among Hindi cinema audience as some of his dubbed films including "Sivaji" and "Robot" have done well in Bollywood.
"I" has created a huge pre-release buzz in Bollywood and the film is likely to enjoy a grand opening there as well. However, the film's overall performance will depend on how well audiences receive it.
