Thug Life Advance Bookings: Kamal Haasan And Silambarasan's Gangster Drama Sees Strong Early Response

Thug Life Advance Bookings: The much-anticipated Tamil gangster action drama Thug Life has opened its advance bookings worldwide. Directed by Mani Ratnam, who co-wrote the film with Kamal Haasan, the movie marks a significant collaboration between the two after their critically acclaimed 1987 film Nayakan.

According to industry tracker AB George, advance booking reports show a positive trend, with overseas pre-sales crossing $700,000 (approximately ₹6 crores), indicating a strong overseas interest ahead of its global release. The movie is scheduled for a global release on June 5, 2025, and will be available in both regular and IMAX formats. Kerala distribution is managed by Sree Gokulam Movies, while overseas rights are handled by Home Screen.

A star-studded cast and top crew drive Thug Life

Thug Life brings together a notable ensemble cast led by Kamal Haasan and Silambarasan TR, with key roles played by Trisha Krishnan, Abhirami, Aishwarya Lekshmi, Ashok Selvan, Joju George, Nassar, Ali Fazal, Pankaj Tripathi, Rohit Saraf, and Baburaj. The film is a collaborative production between Raaj Kamal Films International, Madras Talkies, and Red Giant Movies.

The film was initially announced in November 2022 under the working title Kamal Haasan 234, marking the actor's 234th lead role. Principal photography began in January 2024 and spanned locations such as Chennai, Kanchipuram, Pondicherry, New Delhi, and parts of North India. The shooting wrapped up by late 2024. The technical crew includes Ravi K. Chandran as the cinematographer and A. Sreekar Prasad as the editor. The music is composed by A. R. Rahman.

Behind the scenes, the film boasts a wide array of talent: Anbariv choreographed the action sequences, Sharmishta Roy took charge of production design, while Eka Lakhani and Amritha Ram handled costume design for the cast, including Kamal Haasan's wardrobe. The makeup and special effects team includes Akihito Ikeda for special makeup, with Ranjith Ambady overseeing hair and makeup.

The music team features Nakul Abhyankar and Prashanth Venkat as music supervisors, with vocals by Charulatha Mani and Shruti Haasan. Lyricists Karthik Netha, Siva Ananth, and Kamal Haasan contributed to the film's songs.

With no major Tamil releases scheduled immediately after, Thug Life is expected to retain a good number of screens during its initial weeks. The early booking numbers suggest a promising start, though the film's performance will be closely monitored over the coming days to assess its sustainability at the box office.