Decoding The Economics of Thug Life: Kamal Haasan and Mani Ratnam aim for BIG profits; Recovers budget with non-theatrical but…
After the historic success of Nayakan, Kamal Haasan and Mani Ratnam are reuniting after 38 years on the June 5, 2025 release, Thug Life. The film went on floors in January 2024, and the makers shot it over a 100-day period, and is among the most anticipated films of the year. It also features STR in a key role with Trisha Krishnan as the female lead. With just 2 days to go for the release, we got our hands at the economics of the much-awaited action thriller.
According to reliable trade sources, Thug Life has been made on a budget of Rs 180 crore, with another Rs 20 crore spent on the print and publicity. This takes the total cost of this Kamal Haasan and STR starrer to Rs 200 crore. One must note that the above cost does not include the acting fees of Kamal Haasan, who is producing the film and will take home a lion's share from the profit.
Talking of recoveries, the digital rights of Thug Life were sold to Netflix for a mammoth price after the the director and actor duo of Mani Ratnam and Kamal Haasan independently tasted blockbuster success with PS 1 and Vikram. The film fetched an excellent deal from the digital player of Rs 130 crore, which is among the highest of all time for a film of Tamil Origin. The satellite rights of Thug Life are sold for Rs 60 crore, whereas the music of the film fetched Rs 20 crore.
The total recovery from the non-theatrical medium is Rs 210 crore, as against an expense of Rs 200 crore, giving the makers a profit of Rs 10 crore. However, a lot still remains, as the fees of Kamal Haasan and Mani Ratnam are not included in the cost and will largely depend on the theatrical performance. If we talk of fair value, the two will draw a combined salary of at-least Rs 110 crore, which means that Thug Life needs to draw a global theatrical share of Rs 110 crore to break-even, and the business beyond be in the profits in true sense for all the stakeholders.
Here's a look at the economics of Thug Life
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