Mani Ratnam and Kamal Haasan's much-anticipated film, 'Thug Life,' released in theaters on June 6th. The gangster drama had generated significant expectations from audiences and trade analysts, but the initial three-day collection has fallen short of these hopes.
Thug Life Day 3 Collection: 'Thug Life' generated considerable excitement and curiosity among viewers since its announcement. Audiences had eagerly awaited the on-screen reunion of superstar Kamal Haasan and veteran director Mani Ratnam, an expectation the film fulfilled. However, the film was embroiled in controversies before its release, impacting its promotion and audience anticipation.
Strong Opening, but Concerning Decline
'Thug Life' opened bly with ₹15.5 crore on its first day, surpassing the opening day collection of Kamal Haasan's previous film, 'Indian 2.' However, the film's collection dropped to ₹7.50 crore on the second day, and this figure was repeated on the third day (Saturday) – again ₹7.50 crore. Therefore, the film's total collection for the first three days stands at ₹30.15 crore.
While the film witnessed good audience turnout in Tamil Nadu and Kerala on the first day, the viewership in Hindi and Telugu regions remained significantly low. On Saturday, the Tamil version had an occupancy of 39.12%, while Chennai showed a b occupancy of 73.75% and Pondicherry at 65.50%. Conversely, the occupancy was a disappointing 8.92% in the Hindi belt and 14.07% in Telugu, a major setback for the film.
Karnataka Controversy Costs a Key Market
A statement made by Kamal Haasan during a promotional event regarding the Kannada language sparked a major controversy. The Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce bly opposed this, halting the film's release. The lack of an apology from Kamal Haasan resulted in the film's non-release in Karnataka. Sources suggest this caused a loss of ₹35-40 crore to the film, significantly impacting its overall potential earnings.
The story of 'Thug Life' revolves around Rangaraya Sakthivel (Kamal Haasan), a mafia don who adopts a child, Amaran (Silambarasan TR). Sakthivel later faces an assassination attempt, leading him to suspect his adopted son's involvement. The film features a b ensemble cast including Trisha Krishnan, Sanya Malhotra, Joju George, Ali Fazal, Mahesh Manjrekar, Nasser, and Aishwarya Lakshmi. However, this impressive star cast failed to attract audiences, especially in the Hindi and Telugu markets.
'Housefull 5' Presents a Major Challenge
A major blow to 'Thug Life' was the simultaneous release of Akshay Kumar's 'Housefull 5' on the same day. 'Housefull 5' earned ₹23 crore on its opening day, equaling the total collection of 'Thug Life' over its first two days (₹23 crore). The 'Housefull' franchise enjoys a b fan base, and its light-hearted entertainment appealed more to audiences.
In the Hindi market, 'Thug Life' earned only ₹65 lakh on the first day and ₹25-30 lakh on the second, indicating a failure to connect with the Hindi audience. Trade analysts predict that the Hindi version will not even reach the ₹5 crore mark.
Underperformance Compared to Previous Films
'Thug Life' significantly underperformed compared to Kamal Haasan's previous films.
- 'Vikram' (2022) earned ₹60 crore in two days.
- 'Indian 2' (2024) earned ₹44 crore in two days.
- Mani Ratnam's previous film, 'Ponniyin Selvan: Part 2,' earned ₹50.2 crore in two days.
In contrast, 'Thug Life' stalled at ₹30.15 crore, clearly indicating that neither the film's content nor its promotional campaign succeeded in drawing audiences to theaters.
