Vijay Sethupathi's 'Maharaja' surpasses Rajinikanth's '2.0,' becomes the highest Kollywood grosser in China

Directed by Nithilan Swaminathan, 'Maharaja,' featuring Vijay Sethupathi in the lead role, was released in theaters last June, and the film emerged as a massive hit at the box office. Buoyed by its success, the film was later dubbed in Chinese and released in China on November 29, 2024. The movie was showcased across 40,000 screens, and early positive reactions from audiences only fueled its success further. Within just three days, Maharaja reportedly grossed Rs 25 crore in China, propelling it to become the highest-grossing Tamil film in the country. 'Maharaja' surpassed Rajinikanth's '2.0,' which grossed around Rs 22 crore from the Chinese market, to set a new record for a Tamil film in China.
This significant achievement has cemented 'Maharaja' as a global phenomenon, and with its impressive run in China, the film’s creators are now setting their sights on Japan, where they expect further success. As 'Maharaja' continues to gather momentum, its path to international recognition appears unstoppable.
'Maharaja' is a critically acclaimed crime thriller, and it follows the gripping journey of a barber entangled in a crime ring. Featuring a talented cast including Anurag Kashyap, Mamta Mohandas, and Natarajan Subramaniam, the movie has received praise for its intense narrative and stellar performances. Several celebrities, including Rajinikanth, Vijay, Sasikumar, Atlee, Katrina Kaif, and others, praised 'Maharaja,' and it added great power to the film to succeed high at the box office. 'Maharaja' is now streaming on a popular digital platform, and the film is available in multiple languages.
ETimes rated 'Maharaja' with a solid 3 out of 5 stars and our review read, "Maharaja could have been a very straightforward or ‘we know what's in store’ film for the audience if it was plain sailing. But the manner in which the story has been told has unquestionably made all the difference. Throughout its runtime, there are multiple faulty and disoriented moments. But to give credit where it is due, the film manages to be engaging throughout. Maharaja is one of those films that keeps you invested. You feel so not because everything that plays out on screen is pronounced, but because the makers have been successful in generating anticipation as to what happens next."
On the other hand, Rajinikanth's previous outing was the action entertainer 'Vettaiyan' which was directed by TJ Gnanavel. The movie received mediocre reviews from the audiences.