Thug Life in Karnataka : Supreme Court Says Go, Distributor Says No

Kamal Haasan’s Thug Life, which opened to much hype on June 5th, struggled to meet expectations and fell flat at the box office. Meanwhile, it continues to miss its release in Karnataka—even after receiving a green signal from the Supreme Court. While many assumed legal hurdles were still the issue, the real reason is far more commercial: the film’s distributor has backed out.

Initially, the film faced heat due to Kamal Haasan’s past remarks on the Kannada language, sparking protests and leading to a delay in its Karnataka release. The issue reached the Supreme Court, which firmly ruled that such remarks cannot be used to stall a film’s release. That verdict, however, has not helped the film reach audiences in the state.

Venkatesh Kamalakar of VR Films, who acquired the Karnataka rights, has now stepped away from the release. “We planned a release earlier, but couldn’t proceed due to the situation. Now the film is already in its third week and isn’t doing well anywhere. Multiplexes are offering only 30% of what we expected. There’s no point in releasing it now,” he told the media.

Adding to the complications, a financial dispute between the producer and distributor has surfaced. A major advance, reportedly in crores is yet to be returned. “Until that money is settled, the film can’t be handed to anyone else. If the producers want to go with another distributor, they can – only after clearing our dues. And honestly, we’re no longer interested,” Venkatesh added.

It’s a tough pill for Team Thug Life to swallow. What started as a high-profile reunion between Kamal Haasan and Mani Ratnam, after 36 years since Nayakan—has turned into a case study in mismanagement. The film released worldwide on June 5, except in Karnataka, and has unfortunately ended up as one of the biggest disappointments.