Vikram's Cobra trimmed by 20 mins after audience feedback, earns ₹18 crore on day one across India

Cobra, starring Vikram, had its runtime trimmed by 20 minutes after feedback from the audience, the makers announced.

Vikram’s latest Tamil release Cobra has been trimmed by 20 minutes a day after its release, makers announced on Thursday via a statement. After being criticised by critics and audiences alike over the film’s bloated runtime of 3 hour and 3 mins, the makers took this decision. The new version will play across all theatres in south India from Thursday evening. Cobra released globally on Wednesday, August 31.

Vikram and Srinidhi Shetty in a still from Cobra.

The film stars Vikram in dual roles. He plays a genius mathematician/assassin and a hacker. A tweet from the film’s makers 7 Screen Studio read: “We Heard You. #Cobra is now Trimmed by 20 Mins as suggested by film-goers, fans, media friends, distributors & exhibitors. Will be updated from this evening in all the screens. Do watch & support the film (sic).”

The Ajay Gnanamuthu film, despite opening to mixed response, has managed to collect ₹11.7 crore from Tamil Nadu from first day of release. As per Andhra Box Office, the film has also earned ₹3.6 crore in Telugu states. Reports put its day one all-India collection somewhere around ₹18 crore.

Cobra's box office figures for Tamil Nadu and the Telugu states.

Cobra also stars Srinidhi Shetty and former Indian cricketer Irfan Pathan, who is playing an Interpol agent in the film. Roshan Mathew, who was recently seen in Netflix film Darlings, played the antagonist. The film, which has been shot on a massive budget, has music by A.R Rahman.

Vikram will next be seen in Mani Ratnam’s epic Ponniyin Selvan I, based on the eponymous novel by Kalki. The film will release on September 30.

Vikram is also all set to join hands with filmmaker Pa. Ranjith for the first time next. Producer Gnanavel Raja had revealed in his latest interview to some leading Tamil entertainment portals that his next project with Vikram will be made on a massive scale. It is touted to be India’s biggest 3D film.