Ace starts with a modest ₹1 crore opening, raising curiosity about its weekend fate
Ace, the latest film starring Vijay Sethupathi, opened in theatres across India on May 23, 2025. With a wide release and much anticipation, especially from Tamil audiences, the film managed to collect a net of ₹1 crore on its first day. Despite Sethupathi’s immense popularity, Ace had a relatively soft start at the box office.
The film’s performance in Tamil Nadu, its primary market, was underwhelming with an average occupancy of just 16.51% for the Tamil version across regular 2D screenings. Among all cities, Chennai stood out by showing slightly stronger interest, where night shows saw a 41% fill rate. This pushed Chennai’s average occupancy to 29.25%, the highest in the state.
However, the response was modest in other cities. Coimbatore and Madurai clocked in with an average of 15.75% occupancy, showing that the film hasn’t quite sparked the buzz many expected. Bengaluru was even lower with just 7.75% occupancy for the Tamil version. In the Telugu-speaking regions of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, the film fared similarly with a 16.20% overall occupancy, suggesting that the regional appeal hasn’t translated beyond Tamil Nadu.
Chennai leads the numbers while other cities remain lukewarm to Ace
Ace, a crime comedy directed by Arumuga Kumar, brings together Vijay Sethupathi and Rukmini Vasanth in a story that starts in Malaysia and unfolds through a series of coincidences and chance meetings. The plot revolves around Sethupathi’s character being mistaken for a man named Bolt Kannan, which sets off a chain of events that feel more scripted than spontaneous.
While the genre of crime comedy usually thrives on chaos and well-timed absurdity, the writing in leans heavily on predictable twists and overly convenient setups. The narrative often feels rushed and formulaic. For instance, the character of Arivu, played by Yogi Babu, appears just as Sethupathi’s character lands in Malaysia and immediately mistakes him for someone else — a confusion that leads him to a new identity, home, and job with barely any resistance or verification.
Even the romantic angle with Rukmini Vasanth follows a familiar template — clashing at first, but inevitably drawn to each other through forced and frequent encounters. The film doesn’t offer much depth in their relationship, choosing instead to push the romance forward with song sequences and repeated run-ins that lack emotional payoff. The popular track “Urugudhu Urugudhu” plays over one such montage, but it feels like a shortcut rather than a moment of genuine connection.
Strong fan base, weak writing – can Ace recover with word of mouth?
Critics and audiences alike have pointed out that suffers from lazy storytelling. There was potential for the film to be both thrilling and humorous, but it fails to find its rhythm. Much of the comedy comes at the expense of Yogi Babu’s character, which not only feels outdated but also misuses his talent.
This is what a happy team looks like! So very happy to be a small part of a wonderful film like director @Aaru_Dir anna’s #Ace, which has now emerged a winner! Always a delight to be with my adorable @VijaySethuOffl anna, to whom I am eternally grateful. Happy to have worked… pic.twitter.com/4glQtUKQba
— Yuvraaj (@proyuvraaj) May 26, 2025
Despite its shortcomings, Ace is not without its supporters. Some fans appreciated Vijay Sethupathi’s performance and the film’s vibrant backdrop. However, the general sentiment suggests that the film didn’t meet expectations, especially from a star of his stature.
One crore opening is considered low for a Vijay Sethupathi film, especially given the holiday weekend and the scale of its release. While day one numbers don’t always decide a film’s future, the tepid reception could impact its momentum unless it picks up through positive word of mouth.
Conclusion:
Ace has opened to an underwhelming start despite the star power of Vijay Sethupathi. Its performance in the coming days will depend heavily on audience feedback and weekend turnout. Whether the film manages to bounce back or fades quickly will soon be clear.
