Thug Life Day 1 India Box Office Report: Kamal Haasan–Mani Ratnam Film Opens at ₹18 Crore, Faces Mixed to Negative Word of Mouth

Kamal Haasan and Mani Ratnam’s much-anticipated collaboration Thug Life hit the big screens on June 5, 2025. While the buzz was strong ahead of release, the film is projected to collect around ₹18 crore gross on its opening day in India—a respectable start, though not spectacular.

🎥 Opening Day Performance: Mixed Bag

India Day 1 Gross: ₹18 crore (estimated)

Tamil Nadu Contribution: ₹14 crore

North India + Telugu States: ₹3 crore combined

Kerala: ₹1 crore

Karnataka Release: Cancelled, costing ₹2–3 crore potential revenue

Tamil Nadu continues to be Kamal Haasan’s strongest territory, with cities like Chennai, Coimbatore, and Chengalpet recording high occupancy. However, the performance outside the home state has been underwhelming. The film's no-show in Karnataka, due to controversy surrounding Kamal Haasan’s comments about the Kannada language, has further dented its Day 1 prospects.

📽️ Audience Response: Visuals Applauded, Story Criticized

While Thug Life has earned appreciation for its cinematography and stylized action, the storyline and screenplay have failed to resonate with viewers. Early reactions lean more toward negative than mixed, raising red flags for the film’s sustainability at the box office.

Starring Kamal Haasan, Trisha, and Silambarasan TR, the movie aimed to recreate the magic of the Nayakan era. Unfortunately, the emotional connection and impactful storytelling that defined the cult classic appear to be missing here.

💰 Box Office Outlook

Compared to Kamal Haasan’s previous hits like:

Vikram – ₹33 crore Day 1

Indian 2 – ₹30 crore Day 1

…Thug Life falls significantly short. Despite having recovered its budget through non-theatrical deals, the film needs to gross over ₹250 crore worldwide to be considered a theatrical success.

📌 Final Take

For now, Thug Life has a long and challenging road ahead. Strong visuals and performances might not be enough to pull audiences back unless word of mouth improves dramatically over the weekend.

Stay tuned to Pinkvilla for continuous box office updates and reviews.

Have you watched Thug Life? Share your thoughts in the comments!