Kamal Haasan’s Thug Life is out of most Indian theatres just three weeks after release.

By Aniket Chakraborty

June 25, 2025

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Image Credit | @ikamalhaasan | X

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The film tanked at the box office, forcing a rushed OTT release on Netflix.

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Originally valued at ₹130 crore, Netflix slashed the price to ₹110 crore after poor performance.

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The early OTT release breaches the 8-week window rule set by multiplex chains.

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As a result, multiplexes have fined the makers ₹25 lakh by withholding their Hindi theatrical share.

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This marks the second time after Indian 2 that Kamal’s team has broken the OTT release window.

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Despite pressure, the Thug Life team is unlikely to delay its Netflix debut beyond 4 weeks.

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The film features a star-studded cast including Trisha, Silambarasan, and Ali Fazal.

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Co-produced by Kamal Haasan and Mani Ratnam, the film was expected to be a blockbuster.

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Instead, it’s now a cautionary tale of hype, failure, and a rushed digital salvage attempt.

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