Thalapathy Vijay's 'Theri' re-release: Atlee film faces tough competition from 'Mankatha' to 'Padayappa'

'Theri', starring Vijay and directed by Atlee, finally returned to theatres on Friday, February 27. This marks its comeback exactly a decade after its original release.



The re-release followed two earlier postponements in January, which had built anticipation among fans who were waiting for a confirmed revival date.

As soon as the film resumed its theatrical journey, theatres saw large-scale celebrations and special shows organised across Tamil Nadu. The comeback of a major Vijay film during the ongoing wave of Tamil re-releases sparked renewed attention, but there are also tough challenges at the box office for the re-release.

Strong re-release competition surrounds 'Theri'

According to the industry-tracking platform Cinetrak, Theri steps into a competitive space dominated by iconic titles with impressive re-release openings.

As 'Theri' restarts its theatrical march, it faces competition from titles that have already set strong benchmarks and they include some of the films starring Ajith Kumar and Rajinikanth.

Top re-release openers in TN

The state’s re-release records illustrate how powerful older blockbusters remain within the Tamil theatrical ecosystem.

Reportedly 'Mankatha' leads the chart with Rs 3.75 crore, followed closely by Vijay's 'Ghilli' at Rs 3.6 crore.

Rajinikanth's 'Padayappa' and Vijay's 'Sachien' round out the next major positions with Rs 2.8 crore and Rs 2.2 crore respectively. Films like 'Kushi', 'Dheena' and 'Baba' continue to remain present on the list. A remarkable detail this year is Ghilli’s second re-release, which has secured another place in the Top 10.

'Theri' is surely one of the best commercial action flicks of Vijay and the film features Samantha Ruth Prabhu, Amy Jackson and child actor Nainika in key roles. The music by G. V. Prakash Kumar, cinematography by George C. Williams and editing by Ruben continue to receive much love from the audiences.

During its original theatrical release on 14 April 2016, the film received positive reviews and reportedly earned Rs 150 crore against a Rs 75 crore budget, becoming the second highest-grossing Tamil film of 2016. This track record has set high expectations for the re-release.Get the latest entertainment updates from the Times of India, along with the latest Hindi movies, upcoming Hindi movies in 2026 , and Telugu movies.”