Mani Ratnam's highly anticipated film Thug Life faces a major setback as its release gets postponed in Karnataka following a linguistic controversy. The film, starring Kamal Haasan in the lead role, was scheduled for a worldwide release on June 5, 2025, but will now skip Karnataka theatres due to the actor's refusal to apologise for his contentious remarks.
The controversy erupted when Kamal Haasan stated during the film's audio launch in Chennai that "Kannada was born out of Tamil." This comment sparked outrage across Karnataka, leading to protests and demands for an apology from the veteran actor-politician.
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Thug Life Cast Fees
According to several reports, the cast of Thug Life has been paid substantial amounts for their roles in this big-budget Tamil gangster drama. The film's production budget reportedly stands at Rs 300 crores, with a significant portion allocated to actor fees.
Trisha Krishnan, who plays the role of Indhrani in the film, has reportedly earned Rs 12 crores for her performance. The actress has effectively tripled her fee for this Mani Ratnam directorial, according to industry sources.
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Silambarasan TR, who portrays the character Amaran, has reportedly commanded the highest fee among the supporting cast at Rs 40 crores.
The remaining cast members have also received competitive compensation for their roles. According to reports, Joju George earned Rs 1 crore for his participation in the project. Abhirami, who plays Ranganayaki, received Rs 50 lakhs for her role in the film.
Industry sources suggest that Ashok Selvan also received Rs 1 crore for his part in the movie, while Aishwarya Lakshmi's fee details remain undisclosed.
Producer-Directors Skip Traditional Fees
In an interesting arrangement, both Kamal Haasan and director Mani Ratnam have chosen not to take separate fees for their work on Thug Life. Instead, the duo, who serve as co-producers of the film, will share in the profits generated by the movie.
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Thug Life Movie Budget
The film's substantial Rs 300 crore budget places it among the most expensive Tamil productions in recent years. The movie features music composed by AR Rahman, adding another layer of star power to the project.
Thug Life brings together an ensemble cast including Kamal Haasan, Trisha Krishnan, Silambarasan TR, Joju George, Simbu, Ashok Selvan, Abhirami, and Aishwarya Lakshmi in pivotal roles.
Despite the Karnataka controversy, Thug Life has generated strong advance bookings in other markets. The film's box office performance will be closely watched, particularly given its high production costs and the salaries of its stars.
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