Thug Life underperforms: Kamal Haasan’s latest film lags behind Vikram, Indian 2

Kamal Haasan and Mani Ratnam’s latest film, 'Thug Life', has underperformed at the box office, raising concerns about its commercial viability. The film opened with Rs 15.5 crore but saw a sharp 55% drop to Rs 7.5 crore on its second day.

Despite featuring a star-studded cast including Kamal Haasan, Trisha Krishnan, Silambarasan, Aishwarya Lekshmi, Joju George, and Ali Fazal, the film struggled to connect with audiences beyond Tamil Nadu. It faced particular challenges in the Hindi belt, where it earned only Rs 65 lakh on opening day and dropped further to Rs 25-35 lakh on day two, with a low occupancy rate of 6.48%.

The film’s release was also stalled in Karnataka due to Kamal Haasan’s controversial Kannada comments, further limiting its reach. In Tamil Nadu, the film showed some improvement, especially in Chennai with a 59% night show occupancy, but overall it failed to match the success of Haasan’s previous blockbusters.

“Thug Life’s collections dropped 55% to Rs 7.5 crore on its second day,” highlighting the steep decline.

In comparison, Kamal Haasan’s earlier films performed significantly better: 'Vikram' collected Rs 60 crore in two days, and 'Indian 2' earned Rs 44 crore despite mixed reviews. The film also faced stiff competition from Akshay Kumar’s 'Housefull 5', which earned Rs 23 crore on its opening day, matching 'Thug Life’s' two-day total.

The underwhelming performance of 'Thug Life' raises questions about its ability to sustain momentum and appeal to a pan-India audience, especially amid strong competition and regional controversies.

Kamal Haasan’s 'Thug Life' underperformed at the box office, earning Rs 15.5 crore on opening day but dropping 55% to Rs 7.5 crore on day two. Despite a star cast, it lagged behind Haasan’s previous hits 'Vikram' and 'Indian 2,' struggling especially in non-Tamil markets and facing stiff competition.