Kamal Haasan and Mani Ratnam’s much-anticipated film Thug Life has had a rocky start at the box office, collecting a total of Rs 23 crore domestically over its first two days. The film opened to a lukewarm response, and its second-day collections fell sharply due to several challenges, including controversy and competition.
According to Sacnilk data, Thug Life earned Rs 15.5 crore on its opening day but saw a 55% drop on Friday, earning Rs 7.5 crore. This brought the total two-day domestic collection to Rs 23 crore.
Controversy Hits Collections
The film’s performance was heavily impacted by the backlash Kamal Haasan faced after making controversial comments on the Kannada language. This controversy led to the film’s release being stalled in Karnataka, a major market, which significantly dented its collections. The effects of this continued into the second day, contributing to the decline in earnings.
Strong Competition from ‘Housefull 5’
Adding to Thug Life’s challenges was the release of Housefull 5, starring Akshay Kumar, which earned Rs 23 crore on its opening day alone—matching Thug Life’s total earnings over two days. The Akshay Kumar-led comedy seems to have taken the lead in the crowded box office space.
Market-wise Performance
Thug Life was promoted as a pan-India film but struggled in the Hindi belt, where it collected just Rs 65 lakh on Day 1 and dropped to Rs 25-35 lakh on Day 2, with occupancy levels as low as 6.48% on Friday. Even in Tamil Nadu—the film’s primary market—the movie faced challenges, with only a 31.41% occupancy rate on Friday.
In comparison, Kamal Haasan’s previous films had much stronger openings. Vikram had collected Rs 60 crore in just two days, while Indian 2 had earned Rs 44 crore despite receiving mixed reviews. Similarly, Mani Ratnam’s Ponniyin Selvan films significantly outperformed Thug Life, with Part 1 earning Rs 65.35 crore and Part 2 collecting Rs 50.2 crore in their first two days.
Cast and Crew
Despite the slow start, Thug Life features an impressive ensemble cast, including Trisha, Silambarasan, Joju George, Ashok Selvan, Nasser, and Abhirami. The film’s music is composed by the legendary AR Rahman, adding further anticipation.
Outlook
Although Thug Life has struggled initially, it still has the potential to improve its numbers over the weekend as word of mouth spreads and more screens open up. Fans of Kamal Haasan and Mani Ratnam will be hoping for a stronger recovery in the days ahead.
Sources By Agencies
