Thug Life box office collection day 1 early estimates

Thug Life Box Office Collection Day 1 Early Estimate: A Decent Start Despite Poor Reviews
The highly anticipated film, Thug Life, starring Kamal Haasan and directed by Mani Ratnam, has finally hit the theatres. Despite receiving poor reviews from critics and audiences, the movie has managed to get off to a decent start at the box office. According to industry tracker Sacnilk, Thug Life has collected a whopping Rs. 13.25 crore in India, as of 9 pm on Thursday. However, due to the negative response, the action-drama is unlikely to even surpass the opening numbers of Haasan’s Indian 2, which was a disaster at the box office.

Contents

1 Thug Life’s Occupancy Rate: A Mixed Bag
2 Thug Life’s Box Office Performance: A Disappointment
3 The Karnataka Ban: A Controversy that Refused to Die
4 Thug Life Review: A Cinematic Endurance Test
5 The Cast and Crew: A Talented Ensemble
6 Conclusion: A Decent Start, but a Long Way to Go

Thug Life’s Occupancy Rate: A Mixed Bag

As per Sacnilk, Thug Life recorded an overall Tamil-language occupancy of 48.72% on Thursday. The morning shows saw a respectable 50.66% occupancy, while the afternoon shows registered 50.35%. However, the evening shows dipped to 45.15%. Pondicherry reported the highest occupancy so far at 69.33%. These numbers are a mixed bag, indicating that the film has its loyal fan base, but the negative word-of-mouth might affect its overall performance.

Thug Life’s Box Office Performance: A Disappointment

The Mani Ratnam film is unlikely to rank in the biggest Tamil openers list of this year. Ajith Kumar’s Good Bad Ugly is the biggest Tamil opener of 2025 with Rs. 28.15 crore. The second spot belongs to Vidaamuyarchi at Rs. 25.5 crore, followed by Suriya’s Retro at Rs. 17.25 crore. Thug Life’s poor performance can be attributed to the negative reviews, as well as the ban in Karnataka.

The Karnataka Ban: A Controversy that Refused to Die

The controversy surrounding Thug Life’s ban in Karnataka originated after a statement made by Kamal Haasan during a promotional event. The actor had said, "Your language (Kannada) was born out of Tamil." This remark offended many Kannadigas, leading to strong reactions from several pro-Kannada groups. Haasan refused to apologize for his statement, which sparked a huge row, resulting in the ban of the movie. This ban has undoubtedly affected the film’s box office performance, and it remains to be seen how it will impact the film’s overall collections.

Thug Life Review: A Cinematic Endurance Test

An excerpt from SCREEN’s Thug Life review reads, "Mani Ratnam has delivered what is arguably his weakest film to date, the Kamal Haasan-starrer Thug Life. Worse still, the only way one could even identify it as a Mani Ratnam film is the grandiosity of its visuals and the occasional brilliance of its long shots. If not for these, Thug Life would have felt like an unending gangster drama, crafted by an overambitious filmmaker (anyone, really) whose only asset was ambition and nothing more." This scathing review sums up the general sentiment surrounding the film, which has left many fans and critics disappointed.

The Cast and Crew: A Talented Ensemble

Directed by Mani Ratnam and produced by Raaj Kamal Films International and Madras Talkies, Thug Life boasts a talented ensemble cast, including Trisha Krishnan, T.R. Silambarasan, Abhirami, Aishwarya Lekshmi, Ashok Selvan, Joju George, Nassar, Ali Fazal, and Mahesh Manjrekar in pivotal roles. Despite the negative response, the film’s grand visuals and ambitious storytelling are worth appreciating.

Conclusion: A Decent Start, but a Long Way to Go

Thug Life’s decent start at the box office is a relief for the makers, but the negative reviews and the ban in Karnataka have cast a shadow over the film’s overall performance. As the days go by, it remains to be seen how the film will fare, and whether it will be able to recover from the initial setbacks. One thing is certain, though – Thug Life is a film that will spark debates and discussions, and its impact will be felt long after the curtains close.

ALSO READ | Thug Life Review: Kamal Haasan, Mani Ratnam’s ‘game of thrones’ is a cinematic endurance test

Watch | Thug Life Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=70L3MQ4oqT4

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