Kamal Haasan and Mani Ratnam's highly anticipated Tamil gangster action drama, "Thug Life," has had a moderate run at the box office in its first three days since its release on June 5, 2025. The film, which marks the reunion of the iconic actor-director duo after 36 years since their cult classic "Nayakan," has generated considerable buzz and expectations. However, initial box office figures suggest a mixed reception.
On its opening day, "Thug Life" netted around ₹15.5 crore across India. While this is a respectable figure, it falls short when compared to Kamal Haasan's previous outing, "Indian 2," which raked in ₹25.6 crore on its debut day. The majority of the revenue for "Thug Life" came from the Tamil version (₹13.35 crore), followed by Telugu (₹1.5 crore) and Hindi (₹0.65 crore), reflecting strong interest in the southern markets.
However, the momentum didn't sustain. On its second day, June 6, the collections dropped drastically by 54%, bringing in only ₹7.13 crore. The Tamil version once again led the way with ₹6.32 crore, but the noticeable dip indicated that the film struggled to maintain footfall after the initial buzz. Such a drop is not uncommon for non-weekend releases, but it was still steeper than expected for a star-driven project.
Saturday, June 7, further disappointed trade trackers with an even sharper decline. "Thug Life" managed to collect just ₹1.25 crore on Day 3, suggesting that word-of-mouth and repeat audience engagement may be lacking. This brought the total domestic net collection to ₹23.88 crore over three days—far from ideal for a film mounted on a big budget and carrying the brand names of Kamal Haasan and director Mani Ratnam. However, other reports indicate that the film earned ₹7.5 crore on Day 3, bringing the total to approximately ₹30 crore. Another report mentions that the film has collected ₹28 crore.
Despite the mixed domestic performance, "Thug Life" has grossed ₹52 crore worldwide in its first two days, including ₹26.65 crore (India net) and ₹25.7 crore from overseas. The film was released in over 2,220 theaters overseas.
"Thug Life" features a stellar ensemble cast including Kamal Haasan, Silambarasan, Trisha Krishnan, Abhirami, Aishwarya Lekshmi, Joju George, Nassar, Ali Fazal, and Rohit Saraf. The film's music is composed by Oscar-winner A.R. Rahman, adding a powerful auditory dimension to the film's intense atmosphere.
The film is centered on Rangaraaya Sakthivel Naicker, portrayed by Kamal Haasan, a formidable gang leader. Sakthivel rescues and adopts a young boy named Amaran during a violent gang war, raising him as his own. However, when Sakthivel survives an assassination attempt, he begins to suspect that Amaran, played by Silambarasan, might be behind the betrayal.
"Thug Life" has received mixed-to-negative reviews from critics, who praised Kamal Haasan's performance, cinematography, and staging, but noted the generic story and dragged-out sequences. Some critics have also drawn comparisons to Mani Ratnam's earlier classic, "Nayakan," which may have set expectations too high.
Looking ahead, "Thug Life" will be available on Netflix in Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada, and Hindi after its theatrical run. However, the Hindi version's OTT debut will be delayed until at least August due to North Indian multiplex regulations.
