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Thug Life Day 1 India Box Office Trends: Kamal Haasan and Mani Ratnam film looks to gross Rs 18 crore on its opening day
Thug Life's day 1 number is reasonable but what's worrying is the word of mouth which is tilting more towards negative than mixed. Things don't look rosy for the crime-drama.
Kamal Haasan and Mani Ratnam’s much-hyped reunion, Thug Life, hit theaters on June 5, 2025, and the trends suggest a day 1 gross of around Rs 18 crore in India. The Tamil gangster-drama's opening is reasonable but far from spectacular. The fair opening, coupled with mixed to negative word of mouth has raised concerns about its box office journey. While the film’s visuals have won praise, its story and screenplay are facing heavy criticism.
In India, Tamil Nadu is leading the charge, contributing around Rs 14 crore to the day 1 gross. As usual for Kamal Haasan, Tamilians showed good support with shows in cities like Chennai, Coimbatore, and Chengalpet getting good occupancies. The film has struggled, more or less, elsewhere. North India and the Telugu states together are expected to just bring Rs 3 crore. Kerala will be chipping in with a 1 crore number. The film didn’t release in Karnataka due to a controversy over Kamal Haasan’s remarks on the Kannada language, costing the film an estimated Rs 2-3 crore in potential revenue.
The film’s visuals have got unanimous praise. Audiences have praised the stunning camera work and stylish action sequences, which carry Mani Ratnam's signature mark. But the story and screenplay have let it down if the reviews from most viewers on the first day are anything to go by.
Unlike Nayakan, a cult classic that redefined Indian cinema, Thug Life risks fading into the forgettable category. Fans expected the magic of the Kamal-Mani duo to shine, but the narrative hasn’t connected emotionally, despite strong performances from Kamal Haasan, Trisha and SilambarasanTR among others.
The Rs 18 crore opening puts Thug Life below Kamal’s recent hits like Vikram (Rs 33 crore) and Indian 2 (Rs 30 crore). While the film has recovered its budget through non-theatrical deals, it needs a theatrical gross of over Rs 250 crore worldwide to be called a hit. The absence of a Karnataka release and the mixed word of mouth make this a tough road ahead.
As more box office numbers roll in, we’ll get a clearer picture of Thug Life’s India and global performance. The same shall be updated on our website tomorrow.
Stay tuned to Pinkvilla for more updates on Thug Life and its box office. Have you watched the movie yet? If yes, what are your thoughts on it? Do let us know.
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