Box Office records created by MGR films were surpassed by other MGR movies and not other movies.
Ulagam Sutrum Valiban released on 11.5.1973 in India and abroad.
In six theatres the film went past 25 weeks they are:
- Devi Paradise – Chennai – 182 days
- Agasthiya – Chennai – 176 days
- Meenatchi – Madurai – 217 days
- Palace – Trichy – 203 days
- Raja – Coimbatore – 196 days
- Capital – Sri Lanka – 203 days

Reservation was opened in Chennai on 9.5.1973 and within 3 hours 100 shows were full i.e. 1 month. (The record still not broken by any movie)
Ulagam Sutrum Valiban movie still holds the first place of continuous 100 full shows followed by total number of house full shows in 30 theatres:
All these movie halls surpassed 100 days also.
Chennai Devi Paradise 217 shows & 329
Chennai Agasthiya 156 shows & 211
Chennai Uma 127 shows
Madurai Meenatchi 262 shows & 301
Trichy Palace 159 shows
Srilanka Capital 251 shows
Salem Sangam 175 shows
Nataraja 175 shows
Kovai Raja 182 shows
Shanmuga 182 shows
Nellai Central 120 shows
Kundanthai Noormahal 110 shows
Mayavaram Gomathy 102 shows
Vellore Lakshmi 133 shows
Pondi Rathna 166 shows
Erode Central 121 shows
Thanjavur Yagappa 102 shows
Karur Thinappa 120 shows
Pattukottai Murugayya 101 shows
Villivakkam Royal 131 shows
Dindukal N.V.G.P. 177 shows
Villupuram Babu,Sabitha 127 shows
Pollachi Nallappa, Kalaimagal 101 shows
Kadulur Ramesh, Kamar 133 shows
Thirupur Usha 117 shows
Bangalore Sivaji 121 shows
Bangalore Abayra 101 shows
Puthukotai Palaniappa 100 shows
Chidambaram Lena 128 shows
Thirupathur C.K.C. 128 shows
Kanchipuram Lakshmi 127 shows
Virudunagar Narayanasamy 112 shows
Other Country:
Singapore – Central – 150 days as 3 shows
Malayasia – Paramount – 112 days 3 shows
Trivia:
No posters, No advertisements in Radio, No ads in Newspapers including leading News papers such as Daily Thanthi, Malai Murasu.
People are standing from Devi Paradise theatre to Anna Statue on 8.5.1973 before the booking 9.5.1973. Police and Horse mounted Police were in action to control the crowd.
Within 3 hours of opening of reservation all the shows for 30 days were filled in Devi Paradise, 25 days for Agasthiya and 22 days in Uma. Record unparallel in History.
Ulagam Sutrum Valiban was also released in Chitra and Padmanabha movie halls in Trivandrum with 66 days and 28 days respectively. Totaling 94 days the record was not beaten by any Malayalam movie on those days
Ulagam Sutrum Valiban surpassed the record created by McKenna’s Gold which was released in Devi and grossed Rs.12,85,358.00 and MGR’s movie released in Devi Paradise grossed Rs.13,63,914.75 which is also the first Indian movie to break Mackenna’s Gold Record.
Ulagam Sutrum Valiban generated 1 Crore 35 lakhs in 40 theatres in just 6 months as Tax to Government. Calculate how much theatres should have earned remember it was 1973.
And it is also the first movie to generate tax more than 1 Crore in South Indian Cinema.
Source: Photos and statistics taken from various MGR related books, Special Edition of MGR movies 2005 and Enga Veetu Pillai MGR magazine. Provided by Yukesh Babu, Sathya of Sri Ponmanachemmal Sri MGR Bakthargal Kuzhu.
Will continue