Kamal Haasan’s ‘Thug Life’ fined Rs 25 lakh for early OTT release after box office failure-OxBig News Network

Kamal Haasan and Mani Ratnam’s much-anticipated film Thug Life has hit another roadblock following its disappointing theatrical run. Released on June 5, the film failed to attract audiences and has been pulled from most theatres across India within three weeks. Now, its early shift to streaming has drawn penalties from multiplex chains.

According to a report by Pinkvilla, Thug Life will be fined ₹25 lakh for breaching the industry-standard 8-week theatrical window before its OTT release. The film is set to premiere on Netflix just four weeks after its theatrical debut, which is half the time typically observed by national multiplex chains.

A source quoted in the report said, “There’s a norm in North India to strictly follow an 8-week window. As Thug Life has breached this guideline, the National Multiplex Chains have imposed a fine on the producers. The producers and distributors will forgo their theatrical share from the Hindi version, which amounts to ₹25 lakh.”

The source also revealed that Thug Life’s digital rights were originally valued at ₹130 crore, but Netflix renegotiated the deal due to the film’s poor performance. The final deal was reportedly settled at ₹110 crore, along with an agreement for a reduced OTT window.

This marks the second time Kamal Haasan’s production team has deviated from the 8-week rule, the first being with Indian 2. While multiplexes are urging the makers to delay the digital release, the film is still expected to debut on Netflix in the coming days.

Thug Life features an ensemble cast including Silambarasan, Trisha Krishnan, Aishwarya Lekshmi, Ali Fazal, and more. Co-written and co-produced by Haasan, the film is backed by Raaj Kamal Films International and Madras Talkies. The film drew immense controversy recently due to Haasan’s remarks on Tamil-Kannada issues.