10 september 2024 : Director Venkat Prabhu has a theory about why his latest film, The Greatest of All Time (The GOAT), didn’t perform well in Telugu and Hindi markets. In a recent X (formerly Twitter) Spaces chat, he humorously suggested that his allegiance to the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) might be to blame.
“The GOAT” features a dramatic climax set at the Chepauk Stadium during a CSK match, where Vijay’s character races against time to prevent a bomb from exploding. While Venkat Prabhu and Vijay were pleased with this aspect, the director believes it may have limited the film’s appeal outside Tamil Nadu.
He joked, “Because of that, Mumbai Indians (MI) and RCB (Royal Challengers Bangalore) fans troll me. We are all CSK fans – it’s in our blood and we can’t deny that. Maybe the CSK connection affected the film’s reception in Telugu and Hindi markets. I don’t think those audiences enjoyed it as much as we did.”
The GOAT earned ₹44 crore net on its opening day in India, with ₹39.15 crore from Tamil Nadu, ₹1.85 crore from Hindi, and ₹3 crore from Telugu. The film has grossed approximately ₹288 crore worldwide so far.
Venkat Prabhu described the climax as a “Die Hard-style scene” and revealed that a cameo by former CSK captain MS Dhoni was considered but didn’t materialize.
The film stars Vijay in dual roles and includes a cast of Prashanth, Prabhu Deva, Mohan, and others. It follows Gandhi, a former anti-terrorism squad leader, as he confronts past issues with his former team.
