# Ghilli Crushes Thunivu at Re-Release Box Office — Thalapathy Vijay’s Classic Wins the Weekend Battle by ₹1.53 Crore

URL: https://technosports.co.in/ghilli-crushes-thunivu-thalapathy-vijay/  
Published: 2026-02-23  
Updated: 2026-02-23  
Author: Reetam Bodhak

There’s something genuinely special about watching two Tamil superstars fight it out at the box office — even when both films are decades-old re-releases. That’s exactly what happened this weekend as [Ghilli](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ghilli) (Thalapathy Vijay & Trisha Krishnan) and Thunivu (Ajith Kumar) returned to theatres, and the numbers tell a clear story.

Re-releases have become a legit box office trend in post-pandemic Tamil cinema — and following the phenomenal response to Mankatha’s re-release earlier this year, both camps clearly felt the time was right to bring these beloved masala blockbusters back to the big screen.

## Ghilli vs Thunivu Re-Release — Opening Weekend Box Office Comparison

| Day | Ghilli Re-Release | Thunivu Re-Release |
| --- | --- | --- |
| **Day 1 (Friday)** | ₹55 lakh | ₹18 lakh |
| **Day 2 (Saturday)** | ₹65 lakh | ₹15 lakh |
| **Day 3 (Sunday)** | ₹75 lakh | ₹9 lakh |
| **Opening Weekend Total** | **₹1.95 Crore** | **₹42 Lakh** |
| **Lead** | **+₹1.53 Crore ahead** | — |

## What the Numbers Actually Tell Us

![Ghilli](https://technosports.co.in/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/image-1563-1024x575.png)

Ghilli posted a solid ₹1.95 crore gross in its opening weekend, with approximately ₹1.70 crore coming exclusively from Tamil Nadu and ₹25 lakh from the rest of India. That’s a healthy run for a 20-year-old sports drama proving fans never truly moved on.

Thunivu, on the other hand, struggled right from Friday — opening at just ₹18 lakh and dropping sharply each day to wrap the weekend at ₹42 lakh. The gap is stark, even accounting for one important context: **screen count**. While Ghilli played across roughly **250 screens in Tamil Nadu** plus pan-India markets, Thunivu was restricted to around **225 screens only in Tamil Nadu** with no wider release. Still, even adjusting for screens, Ghilli clearly had stronger audience pull.

| Detail | Ghilli | Thunivu |
| --- | --- | --- |
| **Star** | Thalapathy Vijay | Ajith Kumar |
| **Original Release** | 2004 | 2023 |
| **Genre** | Action/Sports Drama | Action Thriller |
| **Re-Release Screens (TN)** | ~250 | ~225 |
| **Re-Release Format** | Pan-India | Tamil Nadu only |

The rivalry between Vijay and Ajith fans is one of Tamil cinema’s most passionate fandoms. For more [South Indian box office updates](https://technosports.co.in/tag/south-indian-box-office/) and the latest on [Tamil cinema news](https://technosports.co.in/tag/tamil-cinema/), stay tuned to TechnoSports.

## FAQs

### **Q: How much did Ghilli collect in its re-release opening weekend?**

 Ghilli grossed ₹1.95 crore in its opening weekend re-release, with ₹1.70 crore coming from Tamil Nadu alone across around 250 screens.

### **Q: Why did Thunivu collect less than Ghilli in the re-release?** 

Thunivu had a limited Tamil Nadu-only release on fewer screens and no pan-India distribution, which significantly impacted its overall collection compared to Ghilli’s wider release.