10 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
Despite Supreme Court's green light for ‘Thug Life', film fails to release in Karnataka
Despite the Supreme Court clearing the path for the release of Kamal Haasan-starrer Thug Life movie in Karnataka, the film failed to hit the theatres in the southern state on Friday.
The distributors decided not to distribute the film in the state, reportedly due to the poor response and box office collections in other states. The film opened to mixed reviews earlier this month, leading to a poor theatrical run across the country. According to the makers, the film was produced with a budget of Rs 300 crore. After two weeks of its release, the movie is struggling to touch the Rs 50-crore mark in India.
Meanwhile, the distributors in Karnataka are prioritising new films, such as Dhanush- and Nagarjuna-starrer Kuberaa and Aamir Khan's highly anticipated Sitaare Zameen Par.
The Mani Ratnam-directed Thug Life released on June 5 across India except in Karnataka, where its release was 'stalled' following the controversy over lead actor Haasan's reported remark that 'Tamil gave birth to Kannada'. The Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce (KFCC) demanded an apology from the actor. Meanwhile, pro-Kannada groups threatened to target theatres if the film was screened, pushing the makers to petition the Supreme Court.
The Supreme Court on Wednesday directed the Karnataka government to ensure the uninterrupted release of Thug Life in the state, dismissing a public interest litigation filed under Article 32 of the Constitution. The court transferred a related case from the Karnataka High Court and closed proceedings after the state filed an affidavit confirming no restrictions on the movie's release.
The Karnataka government, in its affidavit, stated that it has imposed no ban on Thug Life and pledged full protection and security for its screening. Senior advocate Satish Parasaran, representing Raaj Kamal Films, expressed satisfaction with the state's stance and chose not to pursue the writ petition further.
The bench emphasised that the state must act swiftly against any groups attempting to forcibly disrupt the film's release. 'We should be able to check our emotions. Otherwise, we will be engulfed by them. There is a difference between real life and reel life,' the court observed.
