Sivakarthikeyan’s much-anticipated Tamil film Parasakthi has made a thunderous entry at the Tamil Nadu box office, proving once again that the star’s pull among family audiences and youngsters remains intact.
Released worldwide on January 10, the film opened to mixed critical reviews, with opinions divided on its storyline and execution. However, when it comes to audience turnout, Parasakthi has clearly struck a chord, as reflected in its impressive first weekend trend.
After a solid opening day, the film continued its momentum on Day 2 (Sunday, January 11), registering an overall Tamil occupancy of 51.06%, which is a highly encouraging figure for a film that did not enjoy unanimous critical acclaim. The day-wise and show-wise numbers indicate that word of mouth, curiosity, and Sivakarthikeyan’s fan base are driving footfalls in theatres.
Day 2 Show-Wise Performance Shows Clear Growth
As per Sacnilk data, the Day 2 occupancy data paints a very positive picture of how audience interest grew as the day progressed.
Morning shows: 35.15%
Afternoon shows: 58.03%
Evening shows: 60.69%
Night shows: 50.35%
The comparatively lower morning occupancy is common for most releases, especially when the first wave of hardcore fans has already watched the film on Day 1. What truly stands out is the sharp jump in the afternoon and evening slots. With evening shows touching over 60% occupancy, it signals strong walk-ins and good family turnout, particularly in urban centres.
The slight dip in night shows to 50.35% is still healthy, especially considering Sunday night usually sees audiences slowing down ahead of the Monday work routine.
Chennai and Tier-1 Cities Lead the Charge
The real strength of Parasakthi lies in its outstanding performance across major Tamil Nadu cities and select metro markets.
Chennai, the nerve centre of Tamil cinema, recorded a massive 66% overall occupancy across 899 shows. The evening shows peaked at a remarkable 78%, while afternoon slots saw 72%, clearly demonstrating that city audiences are embracing the film in large numbers.
Trichy also emerged as a strong market, posting 65.50% overall occupancy, with evening shows touching an excellent 79%, matching Chennai’s prime-time performance.
Pondicherry delivered the biggest surprise of the day. With an extraordinary 69% overall occupancy, including 78% in night shows and 73% in afternoon, the coastal town proved that the film has struck a chord beyond Tamil Nadu’s core urban belts.
Solid Returns from Major Tamil Nadu Centres
Several other Tamil Nadu cities posted strong numbers:
Coimbatore: 53.50%
Madurai: 50.50%
Vellore: 45.50%
Salem: 45.25%
Dindigul: 41.50%
Coimbatore’s 279 shows running at more than 53% occupancy is particularly impressive, highlighting sustained demand in western Tamil Nadu. Madurai’s 65% evening show occupancy further underlines how the film is finding strong traction in key Tier-2 cities.
Decent Start Outside Tamil Nadu
While Parasakthi is primarily driven by Tamil audiences, it has also registered encouraging figures in major non-Tamil markets.
Mumbai: 35.50%
Bengaluru: 28.75%
NCR: 20%
Kochi: 16%
Trivandrum: 16.25%
Mumbai, with 35.5% occupancy, stands out as the best-performing non-Tamil territory, followed by Bengaluru. These numbers indicate that Sivakarthikeyan’s popularity among Tamil diaspora audiences in metro cities is growing steadily.
Box Office Collections: Strong Two-Day Total
Financially, Parasakthi has delivered a powerful opening. The film earned an estimated Rs 10.15 crore on Day 2, which is a remarkable figure considering it came after a strong opening day.
On Day 1, the film collected Rs 12.5 crore, bringing its two-day total to Rs 22.65 crore. This places Parasakthi among the strongest openers in Sivakarthikeyan’s career and firmly establishes it as one of the biggest Tamil releases of early 2026.
With solid occupancy rates across Tamil Nadu, excellent urban response, and steady earnings, Parasakthi is well-positioned to enjoy a healthy first week at the box office. If weekday drops are controlled and word of mouth remains stable, the film could emerge as a major commercial success despite the mixed critical reception.
For Sivakarthikeyan, this opening once again reinforces his status as one of Tamil cinema’s most bankable stars, capable of pulling audiences to theatres purely on the strength of his fan base and mass appeal.