Vaathi/Sir box office: Dhanush starrer takes good opening in Tamil Nadu, Telugu states

Tamil star Dhanush's latest bilingual Vaathi has surprised many trade pundits by exceeding expectations in terms of its box office performance in the Telugu states. Many have expressed surprise that the film has managed to secure an opening in the Telugu states that's on par with its performance at the Tamil Nadu box office. 

The Telugu states are not strong markets for Dhanush movies. The last Dhanush-starrer that clicked at the box office there was Raghuvaran B.Tech, the Telugu dubbed version of the 2014 blockbuster Velaiilla Pattadhari. Judging from the initial trends, it seems Vaathi, which is titled Sir in Telugu, will set a new box office benchmark for Dhanush movies in the Telugu states. 

According to reports, Sir's opening day gross collection in Telugu states is said to be Rs 2.65 crore. And it's primed to overtake the Raghuvaran B.Tech's lifetime collection in the Telugu states. It's said that the 2014 movie had earned a theatrical share of Rs 4 crore at the time. 

Meanwhile, Vaathi is said to have collected Rs 6 crore on its day in Tamil Nadu alone. The film's booking is have gained momentum after good word of mouth from the audience. The film, however, has received mixed reviews from critics. 

"Vaathi is a decent outing and has elements that cater to all sections of audience. Dhanush's presence is the USP of the movie which handles a pertinent issue elevated by honest emotions," wrote OTTplay's Thinkal Menon in his 3-star review. 

The film is written and directed by Venky Atluri. Set in the 90s, the film talks about the importance of making education affordable for people from across different social backgrounds. "You would have heard a dialogue in the teaser. Give education like a prasadam at the temple. And not sell it like a 5-star hotel dish. That's the story of the film. But, it won't be preachy. It will be a fun, family entertainer," Dhanush said earlier talking about the movie. 

The film also stars Samyuktha, Sai Kumar and Samuthirakani in supporting roles.