Kochi: Just a month after its release, South Indian superstar Mohanlal’s ‘Pulimurugan’ has created history and is reportedly the first Malayalam film to enter the Rs 100 crore club. The movie that stands out for its technical brilliance and fight scenes was produced at a cost of Rs 25 crore and shot in various locations in Kerala and Vietnam. It is said to be running to packed houses in UAE and other Gulf countries.

The mass appeal film, which tells the story of a man fighting a man-eater, had a record 600-odd shows on the opening day, with even Rajinikanth’s ‘Kabali’ and Salman Khan’s ‘Sultan’ clocking only 425 and 225 shows respectively.

Produced by Tomichan Mulakupadam, Pulimurugan has Bengali actor Kamalini Mukherjee, Namitha and Jagapathi Babu from Telugu, playing supporting roles. Directed by Vysakh and with music from Gopi Sundar, the ‘Pulimurugan’ craze has not spared anyone, including Mammootty. According to reports, the industry stalwart, whose ‘Thoppil Joppan’ released at the same time, took time off from his busy schedule to catch his colleague’s blockbuster film.

Liberty Basheer, president of the Film Exhibitors’ Federation, was quoted as saying that they had anticipated such a massive response to the movie, based on their reading of the initial support the film had gathered from the masses.