Kamal Haasan and Mani Ratnam's highly anticipated film, "Thug Life," is reportedly struggling at the box office, failing to meet initial expectations despite the hype surrounding the project and the reunion of the iconic actor-director duo after 37 years. Released on June 5, 2025, the film, a gangster action drama, has garnered mixed to negative reviews, impacting its commercial performance.
As of June 14, 2025, "Thug Life" has struggled to cross the ₹50 crore mark in India, earning just over ₹44 crore after nine days, according to Sacnilk. Globally, the film has grossed an estimated ₹89 crore. These numbers are considered underwhelming, especially considering the film's substantial budget, reported to be between ₹200-300 crore. The film's performance is particularly disappointing when compared to other recent Tamil releases and previous Kamal Haasan films. Despite enjoying an extended eight-day opening week due to its Thursday release, "Thug Life" has not been able to surpass the collections of "Indian 2," which was considered an underperformer, or Lokesh Kanagaraj's "Vikram".
Several factors have contributed to the film's struggle. Reviews have pointed out a generic story and a dragged screenplay, despite praising the cinematography and staging. Audience reactions have been mixed, with some appreciating the performances of the cast, including Kamal Haasan, Silambarasan TR, and Trisha Krishnan, as well as A.R. Rahman's music. However, criticism has been directed at the predictable plot, flat screenplay, and lack of engaging moments. Some viewers found Kamal Haasan's monologues excessive and the second half of the film sluggish.
The film's initial release saw a significant number of shows across India, but within a week, nearly half of these shows were cancelled due to poor audience response. Occupancy rates in theaters have also been low, reflecting a decline in audience interest.
Adding to the film's woes, Kamal Haasan's controversial statement regarding the origins of the Kannada language led to a ban on the film's release in Karnataka, further impacting its overall box office potential.
Given the film's underperformance in theaters, there is speculation that "Thug Life" may be released on OTT platforms sooner than initially planned, possibly within four weeks of its theatrical release, to recover some of the investment. The disappointing performance of "Thug Life" has also raised concerns about the future of "Indian 3," with some industry insiders suggesting that it might skip a theatrical release altogether and head directly to a digital platform.
"Thug Life" features an ensemble cast including Kamal Haasan, Silambarasan, Trisha Krishnan, Aishwarya Lekshmi, Abhirami, Ashok Selvan, Joju George, Nassar, Ali Fazal, and Rohit Saraf. The film marks the reunion of Kamal Haasan and Mani Ratnam after their collaboration in the 1987 classic, "Nayakan."
