The ever-simmering rivalry between Tamil cinema’s two biggest stars—Ajith Kumar and Vijay—has once again taken over social media platforms. This time, the war of words is backed by box office analytics, AI responses, and contrasting narratives from fans citing distributor claims and trade reports.
The immediate spark came from comparisons between Ajith’s Good Bad Ugly (2025) and Vijay’s GOAT (2024), with fans on both sides using revenue figures to claim superiority. According to verified sources including Wikipedia, Pinkvilla, and box office trackers, Vijay’s GOAT posted a worldwide gross of approximately ₹456 crore, while Ajith’s Good Bad Ugly netted about ₹242 crore globally.
The Regional Breakdown
In Tamil Nadu—an emotional stronghold for both stars—Vijay has emerged with a definitive edge. GOAT reportedly grossed over ₹200–215 crore in the state, while Good Bad Ugly is estimated to have earned around ₹149.5 crore according to Wikipedia, which aggregates reports from Pinkvilla and other trade outlets. Even if one considers distributor-claimed figures suggesting a ₹170–172 crore run, GOAT still maintains the upper hand.
Vijay also leads in other regional territories:
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Kerala and Karnataka: Vijay’s broader appeal continues to pull stronger numbers.
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North India: Vijay edges out Ajith with better Hindi-dubbed viewership.
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Overseas: Vijay has a commanding advantage with ₹154 crore versus Ajith’s ₹65 crore.
The Eight-Year Scorecard
Over the last eight years (2017–2025), Vijay’s films (Mersal to GOAT) have grossed a combined ₹2607 crore worldwide, while Ajith’s filmography from Vivegam to Good Bad Ugly stands at around ₹1242 crore—a gap of 110%. Vijay’s consistent box office average reinforces his position as the top commercial star in terms of recent output.
Revisiting Veeram vs Jilla (2014)
Even retrospective debates are resurfacing. In 2014, Veeram (Ajith) and Jilla (Vijay) clashed at the box office. Verified sources suggest Veeram earned ₹83–130 crore globally, narrowly edging out Jilla‘s approximate ₹85 crore due to a stronger Tamil Nadu showing (₹66 crore vs ₹61 crore). However, both films were considered commercial successes.
Grok Adds a New Voice
Adding an unexpected twist, AI chatbot Grok, known for its data-driven insights, chimed in on the ongoing feud with a detailed comparison. Grok’s response mirrored verified reports, backing Vijay’s dominance in both recent global numbers and sustained averages. While fans of Ajith questioned the authenticity of such summaries, others viewed it as an impartial validation.
This AI intervention has only intensified the fan debates, as each group now attempts to bend the narrative to their side, using screenshots and AI quotes to score points online.
The clash between fan bases has long been a hallmark of Tamil cinema culture, but with data analytics and AI opinions now entering the fray, the debates are no longer just emotional—they’re becoming algorithmically charged. While numbers can be interpreted differently depending on the source, the general consensus in the trade circle is that Vijay holds the momentum in the current era.