The much-anticipated Tamil film Thug Life, starring Kamal Haasan, has opened to a disastrous start at the Indian box office, collecting just Rs. 40.25 crore over its four-day extended opening weekend. Despite modestly better performance overseas with a collection of USD 4.80 million (Rs. 41 crore), the film’s worldwide total of Rs. 81 crore is well below expectations for a major South Indian release.
Audience Rejection and Weak Word of Mouth
From day one, the film failed to gain momentum. After a relatively decent Thursday opening of Rs. 17 crore, collections dipped significantly:
Friday: Rs. 7.50 crore
Saturday: Rs. 8.75 crore
Sunday: Rs. 7.00 crore
With audience rejection setting in early, the film has shown no signs of picking up and is expected to fade out quickly, struggling even to cross Rs. 50 crore in India and Rs. 100 crore globally a mark most South Indian blockbusters achieve on their opening day.
Box Office Breakdown (India):
Tamil Nadu: Rs. 32.50 crore
Andhra Pradesh & Telangana: Rs. 3.25 crore
Kerala: Rs. 2.25 crore
Rest of India: Rs. 2.25 crore
Total India: Rs. 40.25 crore
#SilamabarasanTR the technical and screen puller of #Thuglife
Without this man the movie is nothing
Performance speaks louder than anything pic.twitter.com/pF9Fw7ZUdj— Kollywood Street (@KollywoodStreet) June 9, 2025
A String of Setbacks Post-Vikram
Thug Life marks Kamal Haasan’s second major flop in a row after Indian 2, and potentially third with the anticipated failure of Indian 3. This comes as a major letdown after his 2022 comeback hit Vikram, which re-established him as a box office force.
Producers Safe, Distributors Suffer
Despite the theatrical debacle, the producers are insulated from losses due to lucrative non-theatrical rights sales. However, the distributors and exhibitors, banking on summer footfall, are bearing the brunt of the film’s failure.
What was expected to be a commercial juggernaut has ended up as a cautionary tale of unmet expectations and creative misfires.
