The highly anticipated Kamal Haasan-starrer 'Thug Life' will no longer hit theatres in Karnataka on its scheduled nationwide release date of June 5. The announcement came from the film’s producers on Tuesday, following backlash over Haasan’s controversial comments about the Kannada language.
Adding legal weight to the issue, the Karnataka High Court criticised the actor-politician for not issuing an apology regarding his earlier statement suggesting that “Kannada was born out of Tamil.” Justice Nagaprasanna, hearing a plea from the film’s production house, Raaj Kamal Films International, noted that an apology could have defused the controversy.
The court has scheduled the next hearing for June 10 on the production house’s request for police protection to ensure the safe screening of the film amid calls for a boycott by the Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce (KFCC).
Kamal Haasan & Mani Ratnam's Movie Performance In Karnataka
Industry observers believe the delay or cancellation of the film’s release in Karnataka could result in major financial setbacks. Kamal Haasan’s recent films have experienced mixed box office results in the state. His last outing, Indian 2, had a modest performance with estimated regional earnings of Rs 9 crore across its multiple language versions. In contrast, his 2022 hit Vikram, directed by Lokesh Kanagaraj, grossed nearly Rs 25 crore in Karnataka alone, as per a report on One India.
Director Mani Ratnam, who is helming Thug Life, previously saw considerable success in the region with 'Ponniyin Selvan: II', which reportedly earned around Rs 20 crore in Karnataka.
How Much Would 'Thug Life' Lose?
Considering these precedents, trade experts estimate that Thug Life could lose Rs 10–15 crore in revenue if its Karnataka release is scrapped entirely.
Some distributors peg the loss to the producer's share between Rs 12–15 crore. According to film producer and analyst G Dhananjayan, the production house could potentially forfeit as much as Rs 35–40 crore in total gross collections without access to the Karnataka market, reported The Hindu.
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