Legendary Tamil star Kamal Haasan took a hard decision to not release his highly anticipated pan-India gangster drama, Thug Life, in Karnataka on June 5. In a letter to the Kannada Film Chamber of Commerce (KFCC), Kamal refused to apologize for his controversial statement on the origins of Kannada, saying that apologies are for mistakes and not misunderstandings.
With Thug Life skipping its Karnataka release, its makers, including Kamal Haasan and Mani Ratnam, are set to suffer a loss of about Rs 12 to 15 crore, as per an estimate by trade analysts. Meanwhile, social media is flooded with “#IStandWithKamalHaasan” hashtags, with fans and movie lovers extending their support to the actor. The film is expected to open on a huge note this weekend.
Thug Life is directed by Mani Ratnam, and it also features Simbu, Trisha, Abhirami, Ashok Selvan, Aishwarya Lekshmi, Sanya Malhotra, Joju George, Ali Fazal, and others in prominent roles. AR Rahman is the film’s music composer.