Kamal Haasan’s 'Thug Life' Opens Strong with ₹17 Crore on Day 1 Despite Karnataka Ban

Summary: A great start to Kamal Hassan's movie, Thug Life, earning almost ₹17 crore on the opening day, despite being banned in Karnataka.

Mani Ratnam's film Thug Life, starring Kamal Haasan, grossed nearly ₹17 crore on its first day in India. This is even though the film was not released in Karnataka due to outrage over Haasan's previous remarks about the Kannada language.

Tamil Nadu showed overwhelming support, with the film recording over 52% occupancy, especially strong in Chennai and Pondicherry, where theatres were nearly 70% full. The movie was also released in other languages like Telugu, Hindi, and Malayalam, though reception outside Tamil-speaking areas was more modest.

Critics and audiences have had differing perspectives. While Kamal Haasan's acting and Mani Ratnam's directing received acclaim, some viewers felt the emotional connection was lacking. To make matters worse, pirated versions of the picture emerged online within hours of its premiere, thus jeopardising future collections.

Still, Thug Life stands as one of the stronger Tamil film openings of the year. The coming weekend will be crucial in determining how well the film holds up at the box office.