Kamal Haasan’s much-anticipated film Thug Life released on June 5th with sky-high expectations but unfortunately fell short at the box office. While audiences across most regions got to see the film, its release in Karnataka continues to be stalled—despite receiving clearance from the Supreme Court.
Many initially assumed ongoing legal issues were to blame. However, the actual reason is purely commercial. The film’s Karnataka distributor has officially withdrawn. VR Films’ Venkatesh Kamalakar, who initially held the theatrical rights for Karnataka, confirmed the same. “We had plans for a grand release earlier, but due to protests and delays, it didn’t materialize. Now, the film is in its third week and underperforming across the board. Multiplexes are only offering us around 30% of our initial expectations. At this stage, there’s no logic in proceeding with a release,” he stated.
Thug Life initially faced protests in Karnataka due to Kamal Haasan’s controversial past comments on the Kannada language. Although the Supreme Court later ruled that such comments cannot be grounds to block a film’s release, the damage was already done. To complicate matters further, Venkatesh revealed that a financial dispute is also in play. A significant advance payment made to the producers has not yet been refunded. “Unless that money is cleared, we won’t allow the film to go to another distributor. And frankly, we’re no longer interested in handling it,” he added.
This outcome is a tough one for the makers, considering the film marked the highly anticipated reunion of Kamal Haasan and director Mani Ratnam after nearly four decades, following their iconic film Nayakan. What began as a dream project has now become a cautionary tale of miscalculations and missed opportunities.
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