Call it the presence of two stars or Prem's marketing strategies, The Villain, which was released on Thursday, October 18, has got off to a flying start at the box office. On its opening day, Kiccha Sudeep and Shivaraj Kumar's film has registered a record collection in Karnataka.
Released in over 450 screens in the state, the advance booking for The Villain had met with a stupendous response from the fans. Cashing in on the craze, single screens had special morning shows across Bengaluru, while in the places like Hospet, there were shows at 12 am.
In Bengaluru, the admission rates were hiked and single screens sold the balcony tickets for an average price of Rs 180 and the second class tickets were sold for at least Rs 120. In many multiplexes, the average price for the tickets was Rs 350-400.
The increase in the price did not bother the hardcore fans as the movie ran into packed houses, leading The Villain to get a solid opening. In Bengaluru alone, the movie is estimated to have grossed over Rs 2.5 crore and another Rs 4.5 crore from other parts of the state.
However, the official numbers are awaited.
Meanwhile, The Villain has garnered mixed reviews from the viewers and critics. The length of the movie has turned out to be a major drawback of the flick, which has Amy Jackson in the female lead.
With a long holiday weekend, the Sudeep and Shivanna-starrer is expected to enjoy good footfalls in theatres, but the fate of the movie will be decided post the first weekend.
