The much-anticipated Kamal Haasan and Mani Ratnam collaboration, Thug Life, is now set to premiere on Netflix just four weeks after its theatrical debut.
The decision for an early OTT release comes on the heels of the film’s underwhelming box office performance, prompting the makers to reconsider their original plans.
Netflix Secures Thug Life at a Renegotiated Price
Initially, the makers had intended to stick to an eight-week theatrical window before going digital. However, according to Pinkvilla, Netflix approached the team for an earlier release after the movie’s performance failed to meet expectations.
While the film was first valued at ₹130 crore for its OTT rights, Netflix pushed for a price drop, eventually closing the deal at ₹110 crore—along with the agreement for an early streaming release.
Behind the scenes from the Thug Life teaser.
Honored to work with the legendary Mr. Kamal Haasan on his makeup for this project.
We created multiple custom wigs to bring different versions of his character to life, and did extensive SFX makeup for the fight scenes.
It was fun! pic.twitter.com/tjmNYoOXD0— AKIHITO (@AkihitoSculpt) June 21, 2025
Breach of 8-Week Norm Results in Penalty
This move has stirred controversy in the exhibition circuit, especially among multiplex chains in North India that strictly follow the eight-week OTT window norm. As a result, the producers of Thug Life have been fined ₹25 lakh, which roughly equals the theatrical revenue from the film’s Hindi version.
A source revealed, “There’s a norm in North India to strictly follow an eight-week window. As Thug Life team has breached the guidelines, the National Multiplex Chains have imposed a fine on the producers.”
Box Office Numbers Fell Sharply After Opening Day
Thug Life had a decent start upon its Thursday release, earning ₹15.5 crore on day one. The regional breakdown included ₹13.35 crore from Tamil, ₹0.65 crore from Hindi, and ₹1.5 crore from Telugu.
However, the momentum quickly dropped over the weekend. On Monday, collections fell to ₹2.3 crore and dropped further to ₹1.75 crore on Tuesday, signaling weak word-of-mouth and audience traction.
Interestingly, this isn’t the first time a major release has gone against the eight-week rule. A similar breach occurred with Indian 2, leading to mounting pressure from multiplex associations to reinforce adherence to traditional theatrical windows in future releases.
Kamal Haasan Reveals The Real Reason
Reacting to the digital release decision, Kamal Haasan told PTI, “It is not even an experiment, it’s a pragmatic thing to do. I’m glad that Netflix agreed. We sat together—it was not a negotiation but a well-thought-out plan.” He added, “It will make the industry healthy, and we’re glad to be among the first to embrace this opportunity.”
Directed by Mani Ratnam and co-written by Kamal Haasan, Thug Life features a star-studded cast including Trisha Krishnan, Aishwarya Lekshmi, Abhirami, Ashok Selvan, Joju George, Nassar, Ali Fazal, and Rohit Saraf.
Despite its box office stumble, the film’s early digital debut may offer it a second life among OTT audiences.
