New Delhi: The much-awaited film starring Thalapathy Vijay, Trisha Krishna and Sanjay Dutt, ‘Leo’ has been released globally today and is already performing exceptionally well at the box office. As one of the most anticipated films of the year, particularly in South India, the pre-release buzz has paved the way for an epic showdown at the ticketing gate. Helmed by Lokesh Kumar, the film ‘ Leo’ is expected to collect a net total of Rs 145 crore worldwide, with strong performances in all four southern states.
Talking about the early estimated box office collection, ‘Leo’ is expected to make around Rs 32 crore in Tamil Nadu, Rs 17 crore in Andhra Pradesh/Telangana, Rs 14 crore in Karnataka, and Rs 12 crore in Kerala. All in all, Leo's domestic business is expected to be more than Rs 80 crore on its first day, and it's expected to get around Rs 65 crore from overseas, so it'll make its worldwide opening day more than Rs 145 crore.
Also, As per industry tracker Sacnilk, the film has already registered advance sales worth Rs 46.36 crore nett for the first day across the country. On the other hand, Rajinikanth's starrer 'Jailer' was released in August this year and grossed Rs 44.5 crore on the first day of its release. This implies that 'Leo' is already assured of recording the highest opening for Tamil films this year.
The total worldwide projection of the movie is estimated at around Rs 145 Cr.
Although 'Leo' has done very well in terms of ticket sales, it is reported to earn somewhat less money than SRK's 'Jawan'. The main reason for this disparity is the varying cost of tickets.
Also, trade analyst Manobala Vijayabalan took to X to express his view on the film. His review read: “I tried to be a lion but ended up being a cat. Despite a promising premise and some commendable efforts from Joseph Vijay and the cast, the end result is a disappointment. Lokesh Kanagaraj's ‘Leo’ fails to live up to expectations or unnecessary hype. Also, the film does not maintain a consistent level of engagement, leading to moments of boredom that detract from the overall viewing experience. The film is nowhere near Vikram or Kaithi; it is the weakest in Lokesh's career. A Mediocre Effort"
The film ‘Leo’ has been released in 2D and IMAX formats, offering audiences a multilingual experience in Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, and Kannada.
Meanwhile, Vijay was last seen in ‘Varisu’ which was released earlier this year, his movie ended its box office run with Rs 297.55 crore worldwide gross.