Vijay’s Bigil appears to have struck gold at the box-office. According to a press statement released by the makers, the film, which was released on October 25 for Deepavali, has emerged as the highest-grossing Tamil film of the year in Tamil Nadu, beating Ajith's Viswasam.

The makers have claimed that the film has grossed Rs 142.75 crore after four weeks in theatres in Tamil Nadu, thereby setting a new record. Ajith's Viswasam collection had  touched Rs 140 crore in Tamil Nadu.

In Kerala, Bigil has reportedly set a record by collecting Rs 19.65 crores, leaving behind Vikram’s I. According to trade analysts, the film will touch a record mark of Rs 300 crores gross world-wide soon. This is the seventh 100-crore grosser for Vijay and fifth in a row after Theri, Bairavaa, Mersal and Sarkar.

Directed by Atlee, the film opened to mixed reviews from critics and general audiences alike. It stars Vijay in a double role. He plays the role of a gangster as well as that of a women’s football coach.

Produced by AGS Entertainment on a staggering budget of Rs 180 crore, the film stars Nayanthara, Jackie Shroff, Indhuja, Reba Monica John, Amritha Aiyer, Varsha, Kathir, Vivek and Yogi Babu in pivotal roles and has music by AR Rahman.

Meanwhile, Vijay is currently busy shooting for his next with director Lokesh Kanagaraj, tentatively titled Thalapathy 64. Tipped to be a gangster drama, there are rumours that the film will feature Vijay in the role of a college professor with a violent past. The film will be predominantly shot against a college backdrop. It’ll be the first time that Vijay will be seen playing a professor. Apart from Bigil, Vijay has played a gangster in AL Vijay’s Thalaivaa, which turned out to be a box-office dud.

(Content provided by Digital Native)