Jailer box office day 1 prediction: Rajinikanth to open better than Beast in Tamil Nadu?

Rajinikanth is gearing up for the release of Jailer, slated to open in theatres on August 10. The film has created a buzz among fans as it marks his first collaboration with director Nelson Dilipkumar. The filmmaker, who rose to fame with Kolamaavu Kokila (2018) and Doctor (2021), is synonymous with the black comedy genre. 

Jailer, going by its trailer/showcase, too is likely to feature a liberal dose of dark humour. This makes it a unique outing for Rajinikanth as he has never really dabbled in the genre.  So, will this help the Sun Pictures-backed film take a good start at the Tamil Nadu box office? Moreover, will it fare better than the director’s previous film Beast?

2 things you need to know

Jailer is Rajinikanth’s first film after Annaatthe (2021).

It is directed by Nelson Dilipkumar, who directed Vijay in Beast (2022).

Jailer set to set the box office on fire?

Jailer is expected to open good to a thunderous response in Tamil Nadu. Trade analyst Ramesh Bala told Republic Media Network that the opening day collection is expected to be around Rs 25 crore.  “In Tamil Nadu, Jailer is likely to gross nearly Rs 25 crore on the first day,” he said.

If this indeed is the case, Jailer will open in the same range as Beast. The Thalapathy Vijay-led movie earned Rs 26 crore on its first day.

(Trade analyst Manobala's post on Best day 1 collections | Manobala/X)

The film, however, ended up being a disappointment.

Rajinikanth's magic alone be enough to make Jailer a hit? 

Ramesh Bala further states that Rajinikanth’s stardom is enough to ensure a strong opening for Jailer. He, however, adds that it needs positive word of mouth to put up good numbers in the long run.

“Brand Rajinikanth is enough to ensure a good opening. Word of mouth, however, will determine the performance in the long run." he said,

(Rajinikanth headlines the cast of Jailer | Sun Pictures/X)

Interestingly, some of Rajinikanth’s movies from his decade haven’t  received favourable reviews. Moreover, the word of mouth too has affected them at times. His 2014 releases Kochadaiiyaan and Lingaa, for instance did well initially but eventually ended up as commercial failures as reviews weren’t up to the mark.The distributors of KS Ravikumar’s film staged protests after suffering losses.

The Soundaraya Rajinikanth-helmed movie, on the other hand, made merely Rs 42 crore worldwide on a budget of Rs 125 crore. Annaatthe, however, was an exception on this front as it emerged as a success despite the negative word of mouth. The Siva-helmed actioner reportedly earned Rs 250 crore worldwide on a budget of Rs 180 crore. 

What’s Jailer about?

Coming back to Jailer, it is an action-comedy that features Rajinikanth in the role of a no-nonsense disciplinarian who has a past. The trailer suggests that it may have shades of Rajinikanth’s yesteryear classic Baashha (1995). 

Jailer features Ramya Krishnan as the leading lady opposite Rajinikanth. The two were previously seen together in Padayappa (1999), which attained cult status. Jailer also features Tamannaah Bhatia, Jackie Shroff, Mohanlal, and Shiva Rajkumar in key roles. 

Jailer is set to hit screens on August 10. Post this, Rajinikanth will be seen in Lal Salaam and Jai Bhim director TJ Gnanavel’s new film,