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Thug Life Week 1 Worldwide Box Office: Kamal Haasan and Mani Ratnam's movie grosses a paltry Rs 89 crore in week 1; To end under Rs 100 crore mark
Thug Life is one of Kamal Haasan and Mani Ratnam's biggest disasters. In its lifetime, it won't even touch Rs 100 crore gross worldwide.
Kamal Haasan and Mani Ratnam’s Thug Life has turned out to be a massive disappointment at the worldwide box office. The gangster drama, which hit theaters on June 5, 2025, has grossed just Rs 89 crore in its first week globally. This includes Rs 46 crore gross in India and Rs 43 crore gross from international markets.
The film is unlikely to add much from here. It is projected to end its global run under Rs 100 crore gross. This is a shocking outcome for a film carrying such high expectations. It’s a steep fall for both Kamal Haasan and Mani Ratnam, whose recent films set a much higher benchmark.
In India, Thug Life struggled from the start. The extended opening weekend (Thursday to Sunday) collected Rs 40.75 crore. Tamil Nadu led with Rs 33 crore, while the rest of India contributed Rs 7.75 crore. However, the film faced a sharp decline during the weekdays. Monday saw collections drop to Rs 2.25 crore, a fall of over 85% from its opening day. Tuesday was even worse, with just Rs 1.75 crore. Wednesday looks to be in the vicinity of Rs 1.25-1.50 crore, bringing the total to around Rs 46 crore. The week 1 total of Rs 46 crore reflects audience rejection.
Negative word-of-mouth, a generic storyline, and a weak screenplay hurt its performance. The absence of a release in Karnataka, due to controversy over Kamal Haasan’s remarks on the Kannada language, also cost it around Rs 5 crore. The effect would have been higher if Thug Life was accepted.
Internationally, Thug Life managed Rs 43 crore gross in week 1. While this is poor, it is not as bad as the domestic performance. The global total of Rs 89 crore is a far cry from Kamal Haasan’s previous films. His last release, Indian 2, was called a disaster but still grossed Rs 151 crore worldwide. Before that, Vikram was a blockbuster, crossing Rs 400 crore globally. Thug Life’s numbers are nowhere close, marking it as Kamal Haasan’s biggest theatrical flop in recent years.
For Mani Ratnam, this is equally disappointing. His last two films were massive successes. Ponniyin Selvan - I grossed Rs 500 crore worldwide, becoming an all-time blockbuster. Ponniyin Selvan - II followed as a superhit. Thug Life was expected to continue this winning streak, but it has fallen flat. The reunion of Kamal Haasan and Mani Ratnam, 38 years after their iconic Nayakan, generated huge hype. Sadly, the film failed to live up to it.
In comparison, Housefull 5, released a day after Thug Life, it crossed Rs 100 crore gross in India in 4 days flat. This highlights how poorly Thug Life performed. The film is set to wrap up below Rs 100 crore globally.
For Kamal Haasan and Mani Ratnam, Thug Life is a rare misstep. Fans now hope their next projects will bring back their box office magic.
Thug Life plays in theatres now.
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