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Kamal Haasan and Mani Ratnam`s Thug Life Struggles to Earn Big at the Box Office
Updated on: 09 June, 2025 02:01 PM IST |Amruta Karulkar
Thug Life Box Office
The much-anticipated cinematic reunion of two of Indian cinema`s biggest legends, Kamal Haasan and director Mani Ratnam, has hit an unexpected snag. Their latest venture, `Thug Life`, has struggled to make a significant impact at the domestic box office, delivering a performance that falls short of the monumental expectations. The film`s underwhelming start has become a major talking point, raising questions about its theatrical future.
On Sunday, the film minted just Rs 6.12 crore in India. While the makers anticipated an incline, Saturday and Sunday brought in only Rs 7.75 crore and Rs 6.12 crore, respectively. Considering that `Thug Life` involves the names of two of the biggest legends, Kamal Haasan and Mani Ratnam, these numbers hardly do any justice.
Here`s a look at the day-wise breakup of `Thug Life` in India:
To put these figures into perspective, it`s safe to say that `Thug Life` is Kamal Haasan`s lowest-performing film in the last five years. His previous release, `Indian 2`, despite being slammed by audiences, managed to collect a substantial Rs 69.15 crore nett in its three-day opening weekend. The 2022 blockbuster, `Vikram`, set the bar even higher, collecting a staggering Rs 110.8 crore nett in its opening weekend in India. Even Mani Ratnam`s recent historical epics, `Ponniyin Selvan: I` and `II`, comfortably crossed the Rs 100 crore mark in their initial days.
Also Read: Karnataka HC Questions Kamal Haasan; Actor Declares Thug Life Won`t Release in State
With mixed reviews and declining footfalls, all eyes are now on the film`s performance during the weekdays. If `Thug Life` fails to maintain momentum, it risks becoming a loss-making venture for its producer, Kamal Haasan. The film`s fate now hangs precariously in the balance, a surprising turn of events for a project that brought together some of the industry`s most celebrated talents and became a loss for its producer, Kamal Haasan.
An Underwhelming Opening Weekend
Despite the colossal hype, `Thug Life` failed to rake in Rs 50 crore nett at the domestic box office in its opening weekend. According to tracking website Sacnilk, the film earned a modest Rs 36.52 crore nett in its crucial four-day opening. The gangster drama, which was expected to see a surge in collections over the weekend, instead witnessed a downward trend.On Sunday, the film minted just Rs 6.12 crore in India. While the makers anticipated an incline, Saturday and Sunday brought in only Rs 7.75 crore and Rs 6.12 crore, respectively. Considering that `Thug Life` involves the names of two of the biggest legends, Kamal Haasan and Mani Ratnam, these numbers hardly do any justice.
Here`s a look at the day-wise breakup of `Thug Life` in India:
- Day 1: Rs 15.5 crore
- Day 2: Rs 7.15 crore
- Day 3: Rs 7.75 crore
- Day 4: Rs 6.12 crore
- Total: Rs 36.52 crore
To put these figures into perspective, it`s safe to say that `Thug Life` is Kamal Haasan`s lowest-performing film in the last five years. His previous release, `Indian 2`, despite being slammed by audiences, managed to collect a substantial Rs 69.15 crore nett in its three-day opening weekend. The 2022 blockbuster, `Vikram`, set the bar even higher, collecting a staggering Rs 110.8 crore nett in its opening weekend in India. Even Mani Ratnam`s recent historical epics, `Ponniyin Selvan: I` and `II`, comfortably crossed the Rs 100 crore mark in their initial days.
Also Read: Karnataka HC Questions Kamal Haasan; Actor Declares Thug Life Won`t Release in State
Mounting Hurdles and the Road Ahead
Compounding the film`s box office challenges is its absence from theatres in Karnataka. The release was stalled due to a controversy over Kamal Haasan`s past remarks on the Kannada language. The Karnataka High Court observed that a "single apology could have resolved the situation," but the impasse continues, depriving the film of a key market.With mixed reviews and declining footfalls, all eyes are now on the film`s performance during the weekdays. If `Thug Life` fails to maintain momentum, it risks becoming a loss-making venture for its producer, Kamal Haasan. The film`s fate now hangs precariously in the balance, a surprising turn of events for a project that brought together some of the industry`s most celebrated talents and became a loss for its producer, Kamal Haasan.
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