Chennai, June 5: Kamal Haasan’s much-anticipated gangster drama Thug Life opened in cinemas across India on Thursday, sparking frenzied celebrations in Tamil Nadu. This marks Haasan’s 234th film and a reunion with director Mani Ratnam after 1987’s iconic Nayakan.
Fans gathered at dawn outside theatres like Chennai’s Rohini Theatre, setting off drums and celebrations, while theatres in Coimbatore saw festive scenes with Sendai Melam beats and giant cutouts.
However, planned fanfare was dampened by police restrictions, enforced after a stampede in Bengaluru a day prior. “We wanted to celebrate grandly, but the government didn’t allow it due to security concerns,” one fan lamented.
The film released in Tamil, Telugu, Hindi, and Malayalam, but was pulled from Karnataka after Kamal Haasan’s remark — “Kannada was born out of Tamil” — sparked backlash.
Box Office & Reactions
According to Sacnilk, Thug Life raked in ₹6.16 crore in advance bookings, selling over 3.5 lakh tickets across 11,357 shows.
PVR INOX CEO Gautam Dutta noted 60–65% occupancy in Tamil Nadu, with rising interest in northern markets too.
Mixed Reviews Roll In
Fan reviews are polarised. Some hailed it as “amazing” with a tear-jerking ending, praising Haasan’s stellar performance. Others felt the film was heavy on violence, light on story, saying only Haasan’s acting stood out.
Also read: ‘Thug Life’ Review: Kamal Haasan-Mani Ratnam Reunion Draws Mixed Public Reactions
Produced by Red Giant Movies, Raaj Kamal Films, and Madras Talkies, Thug Life is expected to maintain high footfalls through its opening weekend.
Suggested Headline Variants:
- ‘Thug Life’ Fever Grips Tamil Nadu, But Karnataka Cancels Release Over Language Row
- Kamal Haasan’s ‘Thug Life’ Opens Big: Fans Celebrate, Critics Split
- Haasan-Ratnam Reunite in ‘Thug Life’: Festive Chaos in TN, Ban in Karnataka