Aghathiyaa Day 1 Box Office: Opens with Rs 75 lakhs, word of mouth holds the Key

Aghathiyaa opens to Rs 75 lakhs on Day 1, faces tough clash with Sabdham and Dragon — weekend word of mouth now critical for its survival at the box office.

Written by Shanaz Syed , Journalist

Published on Mar 01, 2025 | 02:02 PM IST | 6.8K

Credit: Jiiva Arjun Sarja Instagram

Tamil horror thriller Aghathiyaa hit the screens on February 28th, but the film opened to a lukewarm response both at the box office and on social media. Starring Jiiva, Arjun Sarja, and Raashi Khanna, and directed by popular lyricist Pa. Vijay, the film saw very limited promotions before release. Adding to its troubles, Aghathiyaa faced stiff competition right from day one. Another horror thriller, Sabdham, also released on the same day, creating a direct clash within the same genre. On top of that, Dragon, which entered its second week, continued to dominate, with its Day 9 collections surpassing Aghathiyaa’s opening day numbers.

With such strong competition and low pre-release buzz, Aghathiyaa could only manage Rs 75 lakhs on its opening day. This is a modest start, and all eyes are now on how the film performs over the crucial weekend window. Saturday and Sunday collections will determine whether Aghathiyaa can hold its ground at the box office or whether it will quickly fade away from theaters.

Another factor working against the film is its mixed-to-poor critical reception. Many reviews called the film’s concept outdated and predictable, with only a handful of scenes offering any real excitement. In a genre where freshness and thrills are essential, this could prove to be a major setback. However, word of mouth from the early audience has been somewhat more positive, especially among fans of Jiiva and Arjun Sarja.

Ultimately, the fate of Aghathiyaa now rests in the hands of the audience. If the film manages to build momentum through positive word of mouth over the weekend, it could still surprise with a decent run. Otherwise, with multiple releases lined up in the coming weeks and Sabdham continuing to attract attention in the same genre, Aghathiyaa might struggle to hold its screens for long.

With a slow start and tough competition ahead, Aghathiyaa has a bumpy road at the box office — but as always, the audience has the final say.