The re-release of Ghilli had an incredible two days at the box office, grossing an incredible Rs. 12 crore worldwide. It is currently the highest-grossing Indian re-release of recent memory, with earnings of Rs. 8.25 crore domestically and Rs. 3.75 crore (USD 450K) internationally.
With the introduction of home media and satellite TV, the re-release of movies became less of a significant source of income. The Telugu film industry in particular has seen a resurgence of re-releases recently. As joyous fan gatherings, these re-releases frequently fall on the days of celebrity birthdays or movie anniversaries. Though other Tamil movies followed suit, no re-released movie garnered as much attention as Ghilli.
Since there were very few collections available after the first day, the majority of the other recent re-releases were essentially one-day events. On the other hand, the Vijay-starring film made an extremely impressive total of Rs. 4.50 crore globally on its second day of release—more than nearly all other re-releases combined.
The movie had the best hold on the second day in Tamil Nadu, where it brought in Rs. 3.25 crore on Sunday, a mere 25% decrease from the first day, for a two-day total of Rs. 7.50 crore in the state. Even Monday has good pre-sales and has the potential to gross over Rs. 1.50 crore, so there is no sign of a slowdown yet. This would guarantee a minimum of Rs. 10 crore for film production in the state, with the possibility of eventually reaching Rs. 15 crore or even Rs. 20 crore.
One of the biggest hits in Tamil cinema history, Ghilli is a career-defining picture for Vijay. When it was released in 2004, it made almost Rs. 30 crore in Tamil Nadu, the highest amount ever recorded at the time. It was also Kerala’s highest-grossing Tamil movie at the time. It’s interesting to note that, two decades later, history appears to repeat itself because Leo, another movie starring Vijay and Trisha, holds both records.
The following is the breakdown of territories for Ghilli’s (re-released) box office receipts:
| Area | Gross |
|---|---|
| Tamil Nadu | Rs. 7.50 Cr. |
| Rest of India | Rs. 0.75 Cr. |
| INDIA | Rs. 8.25 Cr. |
| Malaysia | USD 100,000 |
| Singapore | USD 35,000 |
| Australia | USD 25,000 |
| Canada | USD 60,000 |
| France | USD 80,000 |
| Europe | USD 70,000 |
| Rest of World | USD 70,000 |
| OVERSEAS | USD 450,000 |
| WORLDWIDE | Rs. 12.00 Cr. |
