‘Lucifer’ Box-Office Collection: Mohanlal’s Political Drama Earns Nearly INR 3 Crore in the US and Canada

The Mohanlal-starrer Lucifer, directed by actor Prithviraj (who was making his debut as a director) opened to lukewarm reviews. However it seems that hasn’t stopped fans from embracing this political drama. In a surprise development, the film has rounded up some great box office numbers overseas in the US and Canada. Distributed by Zee Studios International, Lucifer hauled in over INR 2.7 crore, establishing itself as the biggest opening for a Malayalam film in North America. Zee Studios international also released the Akshay Kumar starrer Kesari which was a huge money-spinner.
The political drama has released in 78 screens across USA and Canada. 
The central theme of Lucifer is about the aftermath of the death of a ruling party leader. There are power struggles between the lead characters and machinations galore. What has worked for the film is its impressive ensemble cast starring Mohanlal, Manju Warrier, Vivek Oberoi and Tovino Thomas in pivotal roles. Unfortunately, the film hasn’t been a critical hit with most reviewers dismissing it as a star-vehicle with little substance.  But that has evidently made no impact on fans who appear to have loved Mohanlal’s all-conquering avatar.
Ranking at #20 in USA, in the opening weekend, Lucifer is the only Indian film and Zee Studios International, the only Indian distributor to feature in the list of Top 20. Similarly, in Canada, the film ranked #16 in the opening weekend, the lone Indian film to feature the charts after Kesari. Apart from commercial hubs, Lucifer has also gained magnificent traction in unconventional markets such as Canada’s Arctic and the tourist paradise, Niagara Falls. 
Commenting on the opening numbers, Vibha Chopra, Head of Zee Studios International (Film Marketing, Distribution, and Acquisition) said, “Lucifer is a film that has both style and substance. In it’s opening weekend itself, the film has managed to break the lifetime collections of previous Malayalam films. For the first time ever in Indian cinema, a film will witness an opening in hubs like Arctic and also in Niagara Falls, which is a big win for us. It has ranked number 20 in US and number 16 in Canada over the weekend, exploring consequential prospects for a Malayalam film in the international market.”