Tamil romance comedy drama ‘Dude’, starring Pradeep Ranganathan and Mamitha Baiju, hit theatres yesterday, October 17. The movie opened to somewhat mixed and mostly positive reviews and has registered an impressive performance at the box office, collecting strong numbers on its first day.As per early estimates from trade analyst Sacnilk, ‘Dude’ made over Rs 10 crore across all languages on its opening day. This impressive start marks Pradeep Ranganathan’s biggest-ever opening, surpassing the first-day collections of his previous hits ‘Dragon’ and ‘Love Today’. While ‘Dragon’ had minted Rs 7.6 crore on Day 1, ‘Love Today’ collected Rs 2.85 crore.The film’s opening-day theatre occupancy also shows it had a strong start. In Tamil Nadu, ‘Dude’ recorded an overall occupancy of 48.85 percent on Friday. The film saw a steady rise in audience turnout as the day progressed, with morning shows reporting 33.94 percent occupancy, which picked up to 45.75 percent in the afternoon, 46.17 percent in the evening, and a good 69.53 percent during night shows.In the Telugu version, too, ‘Dude’ performed commendably, registering an overall 49.61 percent occupancy across theatres. Morning shows began with 42.93 percent, followed by 47.63 percent in the afternoon, 44.06 percent in the evening, and 63.83 percent for night shows.
Social media reaction of the film
On X (formerly Twitter), viewers on social media shared their early take on the film. They praised the film’s first half for its youthful energy, fun moments, and Pradeep Ranganathan’s performance. The music by Sai Abhyankkar also received positive mentions. However, many felt the second half fell flat with issues in the screenplay, pacing, and emotional impact, leading to disappointment for some.Directed by debutant Keerthiswaran, the film is about childhood friends Agan and Kuralarasi. They run an event management company and belong to a group called the “Dude Group” that plans surprises for others. As the film progresses, Kural confesses her love for Agan, who initially rejects her but later realizes his feelings for her. It includes comedic moments, emotional scenes and social commentary.‘Dude’ also features R Sarathkumar, Rohini, and Hridhu Haroon in key roles.DISCLAIMER: The box office numbers in this article are compiled from our proprietary sources and diverse public data. While we strive for accuracy, all figures are approximate unless explicitly mentioned, offering a fair representation of the project’s box office performance. We are open to feedback and suggestions on toientertainment@timesinternet.in.
