Sidharth Malhotra and Tamannaah's folklore epic sparked a cultural wave in Bihar, with fans removing shoes and sharing thekua as the movie raked in near‑Rs 58 crore.
The moment the lights dimmed for The Vvaan in Muzaffarpur, a sea of bare feet greeted the screen. Video clips from the iconic Cine Galaxy show moviegoers slipping off their sandals at the entrance, a gesture locals say honors the film’s deep‑rooted connection to the region’s Chhath traditions.
And it isn’t just the footwear. A woman clad in the bright yellow dhoti‑kurta of Chhath puja can be seen handing out thekua – the sweet rice fritters synonymous with the festival – to eager crowds waiting outside. The sight has gone viral, turning a simple movie premiere into a cultural flash‑mob.
The buzz began when the producers dropped the track “Chhathi Maiya”, sung by the late Padma Bhushan award‑winner Sharda Sinha. Her soulful rendition, steeped in folk cadence, instantly struck a chord with Bihari audiences, many of whom were visibly moved as the song echoed through the auditorium.
The Vvaan – a fantasy‑folklore drama that draws its narrative from a 400‑year‑old temple dedicated to Vvan Devi – hit theatres on September 25. While the film’s glossy trailer promised high‑octane action, the real story unfolding on the ground is how a mainstream Hindi entertainer managed to weave local ritual into its fabric, earning a rare nod from tier‑2 and tier‑3 viewers.
Box‑Office Surge
Financially, the movie is punching well above its weight. On its second day, it logged a net of roughly Rs 6 crore from over 7,000 screenings nationwide. The cumulative domestic gross now stands at about Rs 53.5 crore, with net earnings close to Rs 44.9 crore. Overseas, the film has pulled in a modest Rs 50 lakh on its fifth day, pushing its foreign total to Rs 4.5 crore. All told, the worldwide tally hovers just shy of Rs 58 crore.
Trade analysts, who initially expressed surprise at the film’s regional pull, are now revising their forecasts. The blend of a star‑studded cast – Sidharth Malhotra and Tamannaah Bhatia – with a storyline rooted in Bihar’s mythic past appears to be a winning formula, at least for now.
Cultural Resonance
The phenomenon isn’t merely about numbers. The act of removing shoes mirrors the reverence shown at many Indian temples, and the distribution of thekua reinforces the communal spirit of Chhath celebrations. Social media feeds are awash with clips of families gathering outside theatres, sharing sweets, and chanting verses from the film’s soundtrack.
So far, no official statement has emerged from the production house regarding the spontaneous rituals. Yet the organic fan response suggests that The Vvaan has tapped into a vein of regional pride that many Bollywood releases overlook.
Looking ahead, the film is slated for a wider release in smaller towns over the next week, and distributors are eyeing a potential boost in overseas markets with sizable Indian diaspora. Whether the shoe‑free craze will travel beyond Bihar remains to be seen, but the current momentum hints at a longer theatrical run than initially projected.
And as the credits roll, one thing is clear: The Vvaan has turned a weekend outing into a cultural event, proving that when folklore meets star power, even the most traditional customs can find a place in the modern cinema experience.
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