The year 2023 was a Golden Year for Tamil cinema, with multiple films delivering record-breaking opening-day collections and Closing gross.
Here is the list of Top 10 Day1 Highest grossing tamil movies in 2023:
| Rank | Movie Name | India Gross | Worldwide Gross |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Leo | 82.00 | 148.00 |
| 2 | Jailer | 57.00 | 92.00 |
| 3 | Ponniyin Selvan 2 | 44.32 | 65.00 |
| 4 | Varisu | 36.70 | 52.70 |
| 5 | Thunivu | 31.00 | 42.00 |
| 6 | Vaathi | 11.60 | 15.73 |
| 7 | Maaveeran | 8.10 | 12.00 |
| 8 | Mark Antony | 10.00 | 11.50 |
| 9 | Maamannan | 10.00 | 11.00 |
| 10 | Pathu Thala | 7.00 | 8.00 |
Breakdown of 2023’s Biggest Openers
- Vijay and Rajinikanth ruled the box office as Leo and Jailer took the Top 2 spots with massive openings. Leo became the first Tamil film to cross ₹140 crore on Day 1, making it the highest-grossing opening in Tamil cinema history.
- Ajith’s Thunivu vs. Vijay’s Varisu clash on Pongal 2023 saw both films posting strong openings, but Varisu edged ahead with better long-run collections.
- Ponniyin Selvan 2, though not as strong as its predecessor, had an impressive opening, proving the continued appeal of Mani Ratnam’s epic saga.
- Sivakarthikeyan’s Maaveeran and Vishal’s Mark Antony surprised the trade, proving that content-driven films can also pull strong openings.
- Dhanush’s Vaathi, Silambarasan’s Pathu Thala, and Karthi’s Japan completed the list, with each film securing a solid opening based on its star power and genre appeal.
The year 2023 was a huge success for Tamil cinema, with several films making big money at the box office.
- Leo and Jailer were the biggest hits, each earning over ₹600 crore worldwide.
- Ponniyin Selvan 2 and Varisu also did well, crossing ₹300 crore globally.
- Thunivu made over ₹200 crore, proving Ajith’s strong box office pull.
- Mark Antony and Vaathi both entered the ₹100 crore club.
- Maaveeran and Maamannan were also successful, earning ₹80 crore and ₹70 crore, respectively.
- Many other movies crossed ₹50 crore, showing the strength of Tamil cinema.
This kind of blockbuster success was special because it came after the tough times of COVID, proving that theaters are back in full swing and audiences are excited for big-screen entertainment!
