Parasakthi Faces Steep Box Office Decline on Fourth Day
The Tamil historical political action drama Parasakthi, starring popular actor Sivakarthikeyan, has experienced a sharp drop in box office collections on its fourth day of release. According to early estimates from trade tracker Sacnilk, the film earned approximately ₹1.54 crore on Tuesday. This brings its total four-day collection to ₹27.14 crore.
Detailed Collection Breakdown Shows Worrying Trend
The film opened strongly on Saturday with ₹12.5 crore. Sunday collections remained healthy at ₹10.1 crore. However, Monday saw a dramatic fall to ₹3 crore, representing a steep 70.3 percent drop from the weekend peak. Tuesday's further decline to ₹1.54 crore indicates a significant loss of momentum as the week progresses.
Attendance data reveals the film struggled to attract audiences during weekday shows. Early estimates show only 11.87 percent occupancy in morning screenings and 20.22 percent in afternoon shows. Evening and night screenings were reported as negligible across many regions.
Unusual Pattern for Pongal Festival Release
Industry observers note this pattern of high initial turnout followed by rapid decline is unusual for films released during the Pongal festival period. Typically, family audiences sustain collections throughout the festive week. Parasakthi's performance contrasts sharply with normal festive releases that maintain more stable weekday earnings.
The film was strategically released on January 10, 2026 to align with Pongal week, a prized window for Tamil cinema. Directed by Sudha Kongara and produced by Aakash Bhaskaran under Dawn Pictures, the film features Sivakarthikeyan alongside Ravi Mohan, Atharvaa and Sreeleela making her Tamil debut.
Film Background and Production Details
Set against the backdrop of the 1965 Anti-Hindi imposition agitation in Tamil Nadu, the narrative follows two brothers caught in socio-political upheaval. The ensemble cast includes:
- Dev Ramnath
- Prithvi Rajan
- Guru Somasundaram
- Basil Joseph
- Papri Ghosh
The technical team features music by G. V. Prakash Kumar, cinematography by Ravi K. Chandran and editing by Sathish Suriya. Principal photography wrapped in late 2025 after extensive shooting across multiple locations including:
- Chennai
- Chidambaram
- Karaikudi
- Madurai
- Colombo
- Pollachi
Performance Compared to Expectations
While Parasakthi secured a strong opening weekend, analysts are reassessing its performance following sharp mid-week declines. The film's opening day ranked among Sivakarthikeyan's higher starts, though not exceeding all his previous hits.
Trade experts highlight that festival week releases usually benefit from extended family viewership driving weekday footfall. Parasakthi's rapid drop raises questions about audience retention beyond initial curiosity. The film's serious, politically charged subject matter may not appeal broadly to audiences seeking light entertainment during holiday periods.
Mixed Reception and Political Controversy
Critical and audience responses have been divided. Some reviewers praise the film's ambition and performances, particularly in depicting a significant historical movement. Others critique narrative and character development, noting uneven writing and performances.
Beyond artistic critique, Parasakthi has sparked political controversy. The Tamil Nadu Youth Congress has publicly criticized the film for allegedly misrepresenting historical events, particularly narrative depictions involving national political figures. They have demanded scene removals and an official apology from makers, claims the production has dismissed.
These disputes, amplified through social media, have generated intense public discussion potentially affecting the film's box office trajectory. The combination of mixed reviews, political controversy and weekday audience drop presents challenges for the historical drama's commercial performance.
