
'Thug Life' box-office report: Kamaal Haasan's magnum opus scores lower than 'Vikram ' and 'Indian 2' on day 1, loses momentum on day 2
Kamal Haasan
and
Silambarasan
's much-anticipated crime drama Thug Life, helmed by acclaimed filmmaker
Mani Ratnam
, had a fair opening at the
Indian box office
. Despite debuting on a non-holiday Thursday, the film managed to attract a sizeable audience, though it is anticipated that Friday collections may dip before possibly rebounding over the weekend. However, when stacked against Kamal Haasan's previous high-grossing releases,
Thug Life
started off on a relatively subdued note.
Early box office tracking data from Sacnilk revealed that Thug Life garnered a net domestic earning of ₹17 crore on its opening day. While this figure reflects a healthy turnout given the regional ban in Karnataka, it still lags behind Haasan's earlier films. Pre-release ticket sales were reportedly strong, with advance bookings amounting to approximately Rs 13.89 crore net.
Unfortunately, the momentum didn't carry into the film's second day. Preliminary estimates show that Friday collections dropped to around Rs 7 crore. As of now, the total earnings across the first two days hover around Rs 23 crore—a figure that signals a modest start for a film of this scale.
by Taboola
by Taboola
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Comparing opening-day revenues, Thug Life delivered Kamal Haasan's weakest first-day performance among his latest trio of films. His recent venture, Indian 2, directed by Shankar, despite receiving lukewarm feedback, pulled in Rs 25.6 crore net on Day 1. Meanwhile, Vikram, which was a massive box office success directed by Lokesh Kanagaraj, opened to a record Rs 32.05 crore, cementing its place as one of Haasan's most financially successful projects.
Thug Life's prospects were further dampened by a statewide ban in Karnataka, prompted by a controversial statement Haasan made regarding the Kannada language. While the movie saw releases in other regions, early viewer responses have been a mixed bag. Critics and audiences are divided in their reception, suggesting a challenging road ahead for the film's box office trajectory.
About the Film
Released in 2025, Thug Life is a Tamil-language action-crime drama directed by Mani Ratnam, who co-authored the screenplay with Kamal Haasan. The movie was jointly produced by Raaj Kamal Films International, Madras Talkies, and Red Giant Movies. Alongside Haasan and Silambarasan, the ensemble cast includes Trisha Krishnan, Abhirami, Aishwarya Lekshmi, Ashok Selvan, Joju George, Nassar, Ali Fazal, Rohit Saraf, and Baburaj. The film marks the first collaboration between Haasan and Ratnam since the iconic Nayakan in 1987.
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