Tamil Nadu Govt Allows Early Morning Shows for Kamal Haasan’s ‘Thug Life’ Amid Language Controversy
Following a formal request from Raaj Kamal Films International, Kamal Haasan’s production house, the government has allowed five shows on the release day.
Chennai: The Tamil Nadu government has granted special permission for early morning screenings of ‘Thug Life’, the highly anticipated gangster drama starring Kamal Haasan and directed by Mani Ratnam, set to release on Thursday, June 5.
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Government Approves Five Shows on Release Day
Following a formal request from Raaj Kamal Films International, Kamal Haasan’s production house, the government has allowed five shows on the release day. The first screening will start at 9 a.m. on Thursday, and the last show is permitted to conclude by 2 a.m. on Friday.
Such exemptions are often made for big-budget films led by major stars or renowned filmmakers, to accommodate high demand and large fan bases.
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‘Thug Life’ Faces Backlash Over Language Remark
The film’s release comes amid a brewing language row triggered by a controversial statement made by Kamal Haasan during the film’s audio launch, where he claimed that “Kannada is born out of Tamil.”
The remark drew sharp criticism from several quarters in Karnataka, prompting the Karnataka High Court to suggest that Kamal issue an apology — a move the actor-politician has so far resisted.
Kamal Clarifies With Letter, But No Apology Issued
Instead of an apology, Kamal Haasan penned a letter to the Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce on Tuesday, calling the backlash a misunderstanding and reaffirming that he is against language dominance. Despite this, the film’s release in Karnataka has been postponed indefinitely.
A Major Reunion After Decades
‘Thug Life’ marks the first collaboration between Kamal Haasan and Mani Ratnam in nearly four decades, since their iconic 1987 film ‘Nayakan’, considered a milestone in Indian cinema.
The gangster drama also stars Silambarasan T.R., Trisha, Nasser, Joju George, Abhirami, Ashok Selvan, Aishwarya Lekshmi, Sanya Malhotra, and Ali Fazal.
A.R. Rahman Returns as Music Composer
The film’s soundtrack is composed by Academy Award-winner A.R. Rahman, who is also reuniting with both Haasan and Ratnam. The music has already generated considerable buzz ahead of the release.
Box Office Prospects Strong Despite Controversy
‘Thug Life’ is a joint production of Raaj Kamal Films International and Madras Talkies, and will be distributed by Red Giant Movies. Despite the controversy surrounding the language comment, expectations remain high in Tamil Nadu, where the film is expected to perform strongly at the box office.
