Suriya back-to-back hits fill Vijay’s market void, say trade experts

Actor Suriya has delivered two consecutive box-office successes, Karuppu and Vishwanath and Sons, positioning himself as a potential replacement for former superstar Vijay in Kollywood, trade experts tell m9.news. Karuppu collected over Rs 300 crore worldwide, matching Vijay's average earnings, while Vishwanath and Sons crossed Rs 100 crore in two days after a slow start.

Vijay, who entered politics and became Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, is confirmed to never return to acting, the report says. Ajith Kumar has also reduced his film work to focus on racing. The industry had looked to Sivakarthikeyan or Dhanush for Vijay's market, but Suriya's comeback after a 13-year dry spell changed that.

Experts note Suriya succeeded where Vijay did not: strong collections in Telugu states for both films. Unlike Vijay's mass-only appeal, Suriya proved he can draw audiences across genres, mass and family. The question now is whether Suriya can sustain this momentum and become the biggest star of South Indian cinema, m9.news reports.