It has been a year that has begun on a brisk note for Vijay fans. ‘Villu’ starring Vijay has witnessed a grand opening across various screens it has been released this Pongal. Though it has been witnessing average reviews, the fact that the screen presence of Vijay has been drawing crowds to theatres is quite commendable.

It is followed by Dhanush's ‘Padikathavan’, presented by Sun Pictures while Raj TV's maiden production venture ‘Kadhalna Summa Illai’ too is managing decent crowds. However at various multiplexes in Chennai, there is a mad rush for Akshay Kumar – Deepika Padukone starrer Bollywood movie ‘Chandni Chowk’ to ‘China Gate’, which hit the screens on Friday.

Vijay starrer Villu , produced by Ayngaran International, was released last Monday, a couple of days before Pongal. Interestingly, the movie has created a record of sorts with advance booking for the movie at seven screens in Chennai is already full for the next one week. The movie starring Vijay and Nayantara, is directed by Prabhudeva, while music by Devi Sri Prasad is topping the charts.

Director Suraj's Padikkathavan starring Dhanush and Tamanna is an out and out Dhanush film. Remarkable publicity by Sun Pictures is the USP of the movie. The movie has been getting good response, while ‘Kadhalna Summa Illai’, a remake of Telugu remakes ‘Ghamyam’, featuring Ravikrishna, Kamalinee Mukherjee and newcomer Sharvanand in the lead roles, too is in the fray.

Chandi Chowk to China is an all-out action entertainer. Akshay Kumar plays a martial arts expert in it. Laced with humor, the movie released in six screens in Chennai has witnessed full houses.

Movies including Silambarasan's Silambattam , ‘A AA E EE’, Duet Movies' Abhiyum Naanum and ‘Dindigul Sarathy’ are also running at several screens. On 23 January, it is expected that the much-awaited ‘Slumdog Millionaire’, a movie that has won several awards including best music composer for A R Rahman is expected to storm Indian theatres.