Kamal Haasan Turns Gangster in Thug Life, Targets Telugu Box Office
With Mani Ratnam at the helm, Kamal aims to recreate Vikram-level success as Thug Life gears up for a June 5 release.
After delivering a blockbuster with Vikram, veteran star Kamal Haasan is set to return with another high-octane action film, Thug Life, slated for release across Andhra Pradesh and Telangana on June 5.
“Kamal Haasan needs to deliver sensational openings and prove his crowd-pulling power in the Telugu market,” says a leading distributor. He reveals that the Telugu theatrical rights for Thug Life were sold at a premium. “The film needs to recover over ₹24 crore to break even, but the powerful combination of Kamal Haasan and director Mani Ratnam has the potential to connect with Telugu audiences,” he adds.
The makers recently unveiled the trailer of the much-anticipated Tamil film, which features Kamal Haasan and Silambarasan TR in lead roles. Directed by Mani Ratnam, Thug Life marks the grand reunion of Haasan and Ratnam after their iconic 1987 collaboration, Nayakan.
The trailer offers a glimpse into a gripping narrative centered on a father-son-like bond between the lead characters. In a key emotional moment, Kamal’s character thanks Silambarasan’s Amar for saving his life, saying, “We both will be together till the end. Our destinies were written to be one.”
Kamal Haasan plays Rangaraya Sakthivel, a seasoned gangster who entrusts part of his criminal empire to Amar. But as the story unfolds, their relationship deteriorates, culminating in a dramatic confrontation.
Following the success of Vikram, which grossed ₹18 crore in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana alone, Telugu distributors are hopeful that Kamal Haasan will once again deliver big at the box office and drive them into the profit zone this June.