Vaa Vaathiyaar, the highly anticipated Tamil film that was directed by Nalan Kumarasamy, finally hit the theatres on January 14 2026 in the active Pongal season. After facing delays due to financial issues, the film debuted to a decent box office start, recording around ₹1.5 crore in India, a respectable number.
Vaa Vaathiyaar was scheduled to release in December 2025 but the production house went through legal hurdles, resulting in delay. As per production and internal reports, they solved all legal and financial issues before their Pongal release.
Box Office and Audience Opening
According to industry trackers, Vaa Vaathiyaar crossed the ₹1 crore mark on its first day, other sites are showing close to ₹1.5 crore figures. Early audience reactions on social platforms suggest that expectations were mixed while others praised Karthi’s performance, others reported a slow first half of the film.
Fans’ Divided Opinions
Fans have offered mixed reactions to the film. Some gave Vaa Vaathiyaar a harsh review, awarding it just 1.5 out of 5 stars. The audience highlighted a disappointing narrative, lacklustre editing, and missed potential in what could have been an impactful film. They also pointed out pacing issues and low-quality production associated with MGR (M. G. Ramachandran), suggesting the film failed to deliver satisfactory performance.
But a group of audience members praised Karthi’s performance, acknowledging that the film’s highlight is on Karthi’s performance, but still the screenplay and narrative didn’t come off as well-written and executed.
Cast, Crew and Technical Notes
Directed by Nalan Kumarasamy, Vaa Vaathiyaar features Karthi in the lead, alongside Krithi Shetty, Sathyaraj, and Rajkiran in significant roles. The film’s soundtrack and score were composed by Santhosh Narayanan, with cinematography by George C. Williams.
Vaa Vaathiyaar opened to mixed critical feedback but managed a solid first-day box office in the competitive Pongal frame. While Karthi’s performance has been widely praised, many reviewers and audiences feel the film struggles with pacing and deeper storytelling. The coming weekend’s collections will determine whether the movie impressed the audience or not.
