The Kamal Haasan–Mani Ratnam collaboration Thug Life has opened its advance bookings globally, but the response so far has been underwhelming.
For a film carrying the weight of such legendary names, expectations were sky-high—but early numbers suggest a more modest start.
While the core Tamil audience has responded better, the bookings haven’t reflected the explosive demand that was expected.
Crucially, the absence of a release in Karnataka will limit the film’s reach in a key South Indian market. That alone is likely to dent its opening-day collections across India.
When compared to recent Tamil releases, Thug Life is tracking close to Amaran and Retro in terms of advance sales.
In the Hindi belt, the scenario is even worse. Projections suggest Thug Life may earn 80 lakhs to 1 crore on Day 1, with Housefull 5 set to dominate the box office from Friday.
Nearly 80% of Hindi screenings for Thug Life will be dropped post-Thursday, leaving the film with just one day to make an impact.
Unless it garners glowing reviews and strong word-of-mouth immediately, the film’s run in the North could end abruptly.
Thug Life is releasing across all national multiplex chains, with an 8-week theatrical window before its OTT release. However, this too hasn’t made a significant impact on box office traction.
At this point, Thug Life depends entirely on the quality of its content. If it delivers a truly compelling cinematic experience, it may still pull through—but in Hindi markets, the outlook already looks grim.
