Kamal Haasan’s upcoming film Thug Life will not see a release in Karnataka — but will that truly impact its overall success?

Industry experts estimate the producers may incur a loss of around ₹12 crore due to the Karnataka ban. However, this figure pales in comparison to the massive attention the film has garnered thanks to the controversy surrounding it.

Typically, marketing a big-budget film can cost between ₹30 to ₹50 crore, with no guaranteed returns. Prior to the controversy, Thug Life generated minimal buzz. Since then, however, the film has remained a hot topic, consistently featured in media headlines.

While the legal proceedings related to the film are still ongoing, Thug Life is set to release nationwide — except in Karnataka — on Thursday, June 5.

Film trade analyst Girish Wankhede notes, “The Karnataka ban may result in a ₹7 to ₹8 crore loss. But when viewed through the lens of marketing, this so-called loss has significantly raised the film’s profile. Now everyone knows Thug Life stars Kamal Haasan, is directed by Mani Ratnam, and features music by AR Rahman. The controversy has, in effect, become the film’s biggest promotional tool.”

Film distributor and cinema owner Raj Bansal shares, “Advance bookings for the Hindi version alone have reached around ₹65 lakh. Across all languages, pre-release sales have already surpassed ₹10 crore, and that number is expected to grow further.”

Kamal Haasan’s last release, Indian 2, failed to perform at the box office. However, his previous hit, Vikram, was a massive success, earning ₹247.32 crore net in India and ₹414.43 crore worldwide.