Kamal Haasan's 'Thug Life' Struggles at the Box Office Despite Anticipation

Kamal Haasan's much-anticipated film 'Thug Life', directed by Mani Ratnam, has not met expectations at the box office, earning Rs 36.90 crores in four days. Despite the excitement surrounding its release, the film has received mixed reviews. Haasan also addressed the contentious issue of Hindi imposition, advocating for linguistic inclusivity across India. Additionally, he discussed the film's strategy for an eight-week gap before its OTT release, aiming to benefit both theatrical and streaming audiences. The film features a star-studded cast, including Trisha and Pankaj Tripathi.
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Kamal Haasan's 'Thug Life' Struggles at the Box Office Despite Anticipation

Box Office Performance of 'Thug Life'

Kamal Haasan and renowned director Mani Ratnam reunited after nearly four decades for their Tamil film 'Thug Life', generating significant buzz prior to its release. However, the film has received a mixed reception from viewers and has not performed well financially. As of now, the box office earnings for 'Thug Life' stand at Rs 36.90 crores after four days, with Rs 6.50 crores collected on the fourth day alone, according to reports from Sacnilk.


Kamal Haasan's Views on Hindi Imposition

In a recent discussion, Kamal Haasan addressed the issue of Hindi being imposed on non-Hindi speaking states. He stated, “Without imposition, we will learn. Don’t impose, because this is ultimately education and we must take the shortest route to education… and not put hurdles in its way.”


Haasan highlighted that the resistance to Hindi imposition extends beyond the southern states, expressing solidarity with regions like Punjab, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh. He remarked, “This is not the only place which is a resenting imposition.”


He articulated the concerns of non-Hindi speakers, questioning the fairness of forcing Hindi upon them while limiting job opportunities based on language. “You suddenly force all through Hindi and you tell them that you will not get your job beyond the Vindhyas, then you start wondering, what about the promises? What about my language? Am I not one of the 22 (official languages)? These are the questions that are coming,” he added.


Promotion and OTT Release Strategy

The cast and crew of 'Thug Life' recently promoted the film in Delhi, where Haasan discussed the decision to implement an eight-week window before the film's release on OTT platforms. He noted that many in the industry are concerned about the impact of OTT on traditional cinema. Haasan explained that the team requested this gap to benefit both their film and others in the industry.


“We requested them, it was not a negotiation or deal breaker. We wanted them to do this for us. Both the company and the OTT platform are experimenting with this together. And if it works, we would have made it easier to do both the businesses,” he shared.


Cast of 'Thug Life'

'Thug Life' features a talented ensemble cast, including Trisha, Silambarasan, Abhirami, Sanya Malhotra, Ashok Selvan, Aishwarya Lekshmi, Joju George, Nassar, Ali Fazal, Pankaj Tripathi, Rohit Saraf, and Vaiyapuri.


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