Thug Life advance booking kicks off for the June 5, 2025, Tamil action thriller, breaking North American premiere records despite Karnataka’s ban over Kamal Haasan’s controversial remark.
In a Nutshell
• Thug Life advance booking opening
• North America record premiere sales
• Karnataka Ban Controversy
• Thug Life’s potential
• What lies ahead for Thug Life
The much-awaited Tamil action thriller Thug Life is ready to take over the big screens on June 5, 2025, and the people are buzzing with excitement! Directed by the legendary Mani Ratnam and starring the legendary Kamal Haasan, the gangster saga is already making waves, with pre-bookings beginning today, June 1, 2025, at 8:01 AM.
But whereas the movie will be making records in its record-breaking release in North America, it’s being held back in Karnataka, where it’s been banned for a controversial remark by Kamal Haasan. So let’s examine the background of this blockbuster, from the record-breaking build-up to the issues it’s facing.
Advance Booking Frenzy Begins
The producers of Thug Life have declared that advance booking of the movie began this morning, and the reaction has been nothing but fierce. Cinemagoers across India and internationally, especially from Tamil Nadu, are hoarding tickets for this most-anticipated film that comes after thirty-four years since Nayakan.
This crime thriller intends to offer high-octane action sequences, gripping narration, and an imposing star cast comprising Silambarasan TR, Trisha Krishnan, Ashok Selvan, Aishwarya Lekshmi, Joju George, Nassar, Ali Fazal, and Pankaj Tripathi himself. A.R. Rahman will score the album with pulsating tracks, and with Ravi K. Chandran behind the camera, Thug Life will stand gorgeous on the visual front.
Advance tickets have been offered for releases in other languages, including Tamil, Telugu, Hindi, and Malayalam, and the film will also be shown in IMAX formats, so it is a must-see on the big screen.
Even in India, the booking will be good, especially in Tamil Nadu, as the government has recently cut the Local Bodies Entertainment Tax (LBET) to 4% from 8.6%. The decrease in the tax will make the tickets cheaper, and it will most probably make people go watch the movie in the state.
The fans can pre-book the tickets from websites like BookMyShow, and with the trailer of the movie receiving 15 million views in under 24 hours, the excitement is high.
A North American Record-Breaking Premiere
Across the ocean, Thug Life will be making history for Kamal Haasan in North America.
News is that the film has already crossed the $250,000 mark in premiere sales, with four days to go before the movie is out. That’s a milestone figure, as it’s going to shatter the premiere revenues of Kamal Haasan’s previous film, Indian 2, making Thug Life his biggest North American premiere so far.
The healthy pre-booking is a reflection of the global success of this Mani Ratnam-Kamal Haasan combination, with crowds eager to see the two reprise the magic of Nayakan in a modern-day gangster epic.
The international buzz for the film is also assisted by its star-studded cast and opulent production values. The story, revolving around mafia don Rangaraya Sakthivel Naickar (Kamal Haasan) and his adopted son Amaran (Silambarasan TR), promises to be a thrilling mix of loyalty, betrayal, and retribution.
The teaser, released on Kamal Haasan’s 70th birthday, November 7, 2024, had gritty action sequences and a peek into the dark world of the movie, raising interest among North American audiences. Having a post-theatrical release on Netflix India already eight weeks after the theatrical release, Thug Life is ready to dominate the big and small screens.
Karnataka Ban: A Roadblock Controversy
While Thug Life is in full swing with global frenzy, it is being dealt a crushing blow in Karnataka.
The Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce (KFCC) banned the release of Thug Life in the state after Kamal Haasan’s controversial claim at the film’s Chennai audio launch on May 26, 2025, that “Kannada is birthed out of Tamil.” The remark angered Kannada language activists and groups like Karnataka Rakshana Vedike, who protested and demanded the film be blocked in the state.
This remark was deemed culturally insolent and false, triggering protest demonstrations right in front of theaters like the INOX cinema complex in Belagavi.
The KFCC and Kannada pro-groups have demanded a public apology from Kamal Haasan within two days, threatening a ban in case of not doing so. Kamal Haasan has stood his ground thus far, saying, “If I am wrong, I will apologise. If I’m not, I won’t.”
He restated his love for Karnataka and the other southern states, proclaiming the row to be one for historians and linguists to fight over. But, no apology being forthcoming, the KFCC officially banned Thug Life from being shown in Karnataka theaters. Karnataka’s Minister of Kannada and Culture, Shivaraj Tangadagi, also joined the controversy, saying, “There is no question of tolerating any kind of insult to our language. Kamal Haasan has to tender an apology.”
The ban has put the theater owners in Karnataka in suspense, with reports that single-screen theaters have withdrawn from screening the movie. The action has disappointed the fans in the state, who were looking forward to viewing the action drama on the big screen. Social media platforms like X are abound with reactions, with some of the users supporting the ban while others regret the controversy surrounding the release of the movie.
The Thug Life Plot and Appeal
Despite the controversy surrounding Karnataka, Thug Life is a subject of interest to fans worldwide. The film revolves around the life of Rangaraya Sakthivel Naickar, a violent gangster who rescues a boy named Amaran from gang war.
Years later, Sakthivel becomes suspicious of Amaran’s role when he survives an assassination plot, which leads to an exciting battle of loyalty and revenge.
The Central Board of Film Certification’s UA 16+ certification for the movie suggests its violent content, and it is thus only for adults and mature adolescents.
The team of Kamal Haasan and Mani Ratnam, who have co-written the screenplay with him, has raised hopes sky-high. Nayakan, their previous film, is a classic, and Kamal Haasan has promised that Thug Life will be even stronger. “Thug Life will make you forget Nayakan,” he went as far as to state in a recent interview, pointing to the freshness of the gangster theme in the movie.
With the soul-stirring songs of A.R. Rahman, with his chartbuster single “Jinguchaa” released on April 18, 2025, and his next single “Sugar Baby” came out on May 21, the music of the movie is already making people sway.
What’s Next for Thug Life
With advance bookings being announced, Thug Life will make a huge splash at the box office, especially in Tamil Nadu and internationally. The lower ticket prices in Tamil Nadu will attract humongous crowds, and the success of the North American premiere guarantees an international blockbuster in the making.
The Karnataka ban is a disappointment, which is likely to impact the overall box office success of the film in India. The fans are hoping that the controversy is addressed, and Thug Life reaches everybody. And now, the word is about the June 5 release and the audience is waiting with bated breath to witness Kamal Haasan in his persona as the rough-and-tough mafia don.
Whether you are purchasing tickets at a cinema hall in your neighborhood or waiting for the Netflix release, Thug Life will be an emotional experience, action-packed, and dramatic. With the clock now running, one can be sure of one thing: this film is going to make a lasting mark, both at the box office and in the headlines.
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Disclaimer: Advance Booking Data for movies is compiled from various sources and by my own research. These data can be approximate or may have huge difference from producer figure or trade official’s and I do not make any claims about the authenticity of the data. Accordingly, I don’t provides no guarantees, implied warranties, or assurances of any kind, and will not be responsible for any interpretation made or used by the recipient of the information and data mentioned above.
Please note that these numbers are based on the real-time data and updates available trade websites and might be subject to slight variations in later, more finalized reports.
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