'Darbar' won't open better than '2.0' in Chennai

Rajinikanth's eagerly-awaited Darbar is all set to open on a terrific note at the Chennai box office tomorrow (January 9, 2020). It might, however, not be able to beat the star's 2018 magnum opus 2.0, which had collected Rs 2.64 crore on its opening day.

Speaking to Deccan Herald, trade analyst Ramesh Bala says the AR-Murugadoss-directed movie will collect between Rs 1.5 crore and Rs 2 crore and make a solid start.

"Darbar should collect between Rs 1.5 crore and Rs 2 crore on Thursday. It will, however, not be able to outperform 2.0 as there are no 3D charges involved," adds Ramesh Bala.

Going by these estimates, Darbar will also not be able to beat Vijay's 2018 release Sarkar, which had raked in Rs 2.37 crore on Diwali. Explaining this, Ramesh Bala says Darbar is unlikely to benefit much from being a festival release as it is hitting screens on a Thursday. He feels Rajinikanth fans usually prefer watching films over the weekend as opposed to the weekdays.

"The intensity (of footfalls) might not be as impressive as expected on an opening day, however, the weekend collections are likely to be pretty good," says Ramesh Bala.

Either way, Darbar has created a fair deal of excitement among movie buffs as it features Thalaivar in the role of a cop and has plenty of mass elements. Nayanthara is paired opposite the veteran hero and this has piqued the curiosity big time. 'Lady Superstar' and Rajinikanth had shared screen space in Chandramukhi and impressed fans with their crackling chemistry. As such, most fans expect something truly special from them this time around.

Bollywood stars Sunil Shetty and Pratiek Babbar too are a part of Darbar.