'Thug Life' box office collection day 1 (live): Kamal Haasan and Silambarasan starrer opens strong in Tamil Nadu

Kamal Haasan’s long-awaited gangster drama 'Thug Life,' helmed by director Mani Ratnam, has finally hit theatres across the globe, except in Karnataka, where the film has not been released due to the ongoing controversy over Kamal Haasan’s remark about Kannada’s origins.

Despite the regional hiccup, the film opened to solid numbers in Tamil Nadu, where Kamal's fanbase continues to show strong support.'Thug Life' registers massive screen count across Tamil NaduAccording to Sacnilk, 'Thug Life' registered an impressive start in its home territory. Released in over 800 screens across Tamil Nadu, the film clocked more than 3,000 shows on Day 1. Cities like Chennai and Chengalpattu alone hosted over 1,100 shows across 110 screens.

In Coimbatore, the film ran in 95 theatres with 790 shows, while Madurai had 49 screens with 491 shows. Dindigul and Pondicherry also contributed notable show counts, with 37 and 57 shows respectively.Hindi and Telugu versions see lukewarm responseWhile the Tamil version surged ahead with a solid opening, other languages saw disappointing results. The Hindi version, released in a massive 4,092 shows, earned just Rs 25 lakh on Day 1, highlighting a poor response in North India.

The Telugu version, though faring slightly better, collected a modest Rs 53 lakh across 1,800+ shows. Despite these numbers, 'Thug Life' managed to earn Rs 5.2 crore in India from its Tamil version on its first day, with total advance bookings across languages touching ₹6.6 crore.Mixed feedbackInitial reactions are a mixed bag. While Kamal Haasan’s performance and the film’s production quality have drawn praise, viewers have criticized the slow-paced narrative and AR Rahman’s underwhelming score. The movie’s long-term success now depends on sustaining momentum in Tamil Nadu, where its box office traction remains the strongest, and improving engagement in non-Tamil-speaking regions in the days ahead.