'Sivaji' tickets sold out like hot cakes

It looked like a carnival on June 10 when advance bookings for Rajini-starrer "Sivaji: The Boss" opened. The film is releasing on June 15 all over the world.

In Chennai, crowds had started gathering in front of the theatres from early hours. Within two hours of opening the counters all the tickets were sold out for a week to 20 days. It was being a Sunday, there was unusually heavy rush for the tickets. Men and women thronged the theatres braving the scorching sun. Students, both boys and girls, were seen in the long-winding queues with anxiety writ large on their faces As media persons drove around, they could see scenes reminiscent of a festival at the theatres.

Ecstatic Rajni fans had put up giant cutouts and decorated the roads with banners and buntings. They burst crackers, jigged and shouted slogans hailing their icon as the reservation counters opened. They also poured milk over the cutouts and performed `arti'.

"Sivaji" is to be screened at 30 theatres – 18 in Chennai City and 12 in the suburbs. Abhirami Complex, Devi Theatre, Sathyam Complex, Udayam Complex, Albert, Melody, Kamala, AVM Rajeshwari, Bhaarath and Maharani are among the 18 Chennai theatres.

The crowd at Abhiramani mega-mall (three screens) at Purasawalkam was larger than at the other theatres. The complex proprietor, Abirami Ramanathan, was present on the scene helping in regulating the queues from early morning.

AVM Rajeshwari in Vadapalani, the theatre owned by the film's producers, put up a notice that the first three days had been blocked by the Rajini Fans Associations. However, several fans expressed disappointment that they could not get "first-day-first-show'' tickets.

A queue more than 500-metre long was seen at Udhayam complex at Ashok Nagar where a large number of people had gathered by 7.30 a.m. itself. The 18 theatres in the City will accommodate an estimated 15,000 ticket-holders per show.

In most theatres the ticket rate is Rs 50 as fixed by the State Government. In Abhirami, the rates are Rs 70 and Rs 90.In Sathyam and Mayajaal, the maximum rate is Rs 120. The Government has waived the entertainment tax. for "Sivaji" as for other films with Tamil titles.

Abhirami Ramanathan has reportedly bought the rights for the Chennai circle for Rs 6.5 crore, the highest ever for any film in this circle. He told media persons that he had been in this business for 30 years but he had not seen such a big crowd for any other film before.

A record 600 prints have been distributed in the country and abroad. As for the overseas market, a sizeable number of prints have been sent to Japan and America where Rajini has a big fan following. About 2500 theatres around the world will screen "Sivaji" which is incidentally Rajinikanth's 100th film. Featured opposite him is Shreya. Shankar has directed the film.

Meanwhile, Rajini has returned from his 38-day pilgrimage to the Himalayas and he will be present in Chennai when his film is released.

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Sivaji - The Boss

Shriya Saran Pictures