Sep 09, 2026 5:26pm IST
‘Sardar 2’ vs ‘Mandaadi’: Battle For The Vinayaga Chathurthi Weekend!
The yearly festival season kicks off in Tamil Nadu with Vinayaga Chathurthi on Monday, September 14, followed by the Durga Pooja holidays in mid-October, Diwali in the first week of November, Christmas on December 25 and the biggest festival of them all — Pongal in mid-January.
For the big Vinayaga Chathurthi weekend, two Tamil films are going head-to-head — Karthi’s “Sardar 2” and Soori’s “Mandaadi”.
For the Tamil film industry, a festival weekend release can ensure 5 to 7 percent more theatrical collections, especially for big star-driven films. Since the MGR (M.G. Ramachandran) era, top heroes have traditionally blocked festival dates. When a superstar like Rajinikanth or Thalapathy Vijay locks a festival release, notably Pongal or Diwali, others normally keep away. Historically, the trade considers festival dates a prestige issue among top stars.
Karthi has a proven box-office record, with a strong market outside Tamil Nadu, particularly in the Telugu states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. “Sardar 2” is a commercial action entertainer and sequel to the blockbuster “Sardar“ (2022). Directed by PS Mithran, it features SJ Suryah as the antagonist and Malavika Mohanan as the female lead. The film is said to be Karthi’s most expensive solo-hero project to date.
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The satellite and OTT rights have been sold along with the theatrical rights at a high price. However, Karthi’s last three releases — “Japan” (2023), the critically acclaimed “Meiyazhagan” (2024) and “Vaa Vaathiyaar” (2026) — failed at the box office. So, a lot is riding on “Sardar 2” for the star.
Soori’s journey from comedian and supporting actor to leading man has been nothing short of a fairytale. His recent films — “Mamman,” “Viduthalai Part 2” and “Garudan” — have been super-hits, especially “Mamman” (2025), a rural mass entertainer.
Interestingly, Soori had earlier played supporting roles in three films — “Naan Mahaan Alla,” “Kadaikutty Singam” and “Viruman” — all featuring Karthi as the hero. That makes this Vinayaga Chathurthi clash even more interesting for fans and the trade.
Over the last two years, Soori has focused exclusively on hero-oriented roles and is now betting big on “Mandaadi,” where he plays a fishing boat captain in a seaside village and takes part in a boat race along the coast. Directed by Mathimaran Pugazhendhi, the film is said to be an action-packed rural mass entertainer.
All rights, including satellite, digital and theatrical, have been sold, while Tamil Nadu market leader Red Giant Movies is distributing the film. Several A-list Tamil directors are reportedly waiting to see how “Mandaadi” performs before signing Soori for their next projects.
Meanwhile, “Sardar 2” and “Mandaadi” are getting almost equal screens and shows in Tamil Nadu multiplexes, and the two films are running neck-and-neck in the advance booking race. “Mandaadi” has been rendered for IMAX and will receive an ‘Experience in IMAX’ tag.
Come Day One — September 10 in Tamil Nadu — the opening is likely to be split. After that, it’s going to be the ultimate decider: Word-of-mouth will determine the winner of this five-day festival weekend!
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