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Kamal Haasan’s Thug Life finds unexpected buzz amid Karnataka ban

Kamal Haasan’s Thug Life may lose revenue in Karnataka, but the controversy surrounding the film has significantly raised its national profile and box office potential.

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Kamal Haasan’s much-anticipated film Thug Life, directed by Mani Ratnam and scored by A.R. Rahman, is all set for its nationwide release on Thursday, June 5 — except in Karnataka. The ban in the southern state, due to an unresolved legal controversy, may result in an estimated Rs12 crore loss for the producers. However, trade experts believe the buzz generated by the controversy could outweigh the regional setback.

A Rs12 crore loss, but Rs50 crore worth visibility?

Before the controversy, Thug Life had minimal public awareness. But ever since the dispute emerged, the film has consistently dominated news cycles and social media chatter. Analysts note that while the Karnataka release loss may be financially inconvenient, it has effectively functioned as a high-impact marketing campaign without the usual advertising spend.

Promotional campaigns for big-budget films often consume Rs30–50 crore, with no guaranteed returns. In this context, Thug Life’s controversy has provided organic publicity that might be valued higher than the Rs7–12 crore expected loss from Karnataka.

Film trade analyst Girish Wankhede said the Karnataka loss should be seen as part of the promotional investment, as the controversy has turned the spotlight on the film. “Now everyone knows Kamal Haasan is starring in a film directed by Mani Ratnam with music by A.R. Rahman. Before this, barely anyone was talking about it,” he added.

Advance bookings suggest strong box office opening

Despite the regional release restriction, the film is witnessing strong demand across markets. Distributor Raj Bansal noted that advance bookings across languages have already surpassed Rs10 crore, with Rs65 lakh coming from the Hindi belt alone. The numbers are expected to rise further in the lead-up to the release.

Kamal Haasan, whose last outing Indian 2 failed at the box office, will be looking to reclaim his commercial appeal with Thug Life. His previous success, Vikram, grossed over Rs414 crore worldwide and set a high benchmark for his action films.

Final verdict awaits box office performance

As the legal matter remains under judicial review, all eyes are on how the controversy will impact Thug Life’s opening weekend. While the absence from Karnataka limits regional revenue, national — and possibly international — anticipation has sharply risen.

Whether the marketing value of controversy converts into long-term success will be clearer after its theatrical run begins outside Karnataka.

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Dhurandhar 2 bags massive OTT deal, likely to stream on JioHotstar after IPL 2026

Dhurandhar 2 lands a Rs 155 crore OTT deal with JioHotstar and may release after IPL 2026.

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The upcoming Bollywood film Dhurandhar 2 has reportedly secured a significant OTT deal, underlining its strong market buzz ahead of release. According to media reports, the film’s digital streaming rights have been acquired by JioHotstar for approximately Rs 155 crore.

The makers are expected to follow a strategic release plan, with the film likely to premiere on the platform after the conclusion of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 season. JioHotstar also holds digital streaming rights for the tournament, and the post-IPL window is seen as an effort to retain audience engagement.

Reports suggest that the film could arrive on OTT in late May or early June 2026, depending on its theatrical release schedule and run. However, there is no official confirmation yet regarding the exact streaming date.

Industry observers note that the reported deal highlights the growing demand for big-ticket Hindi films among streaming platforms, especially those expected to draw strong audience interest.

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Ramayana teaser unveiled as Ranbir Kapoor appears as Rama in Nitesh Tiwari’s epic film

The teaser of Ramayana has been released, showing Ranbir Kapoor as Lord Rama. The film will release in two parts in 2026 and 2027.

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Ramayana Teaser

The teaser of Nitesh Tiwari’s upcoming film Ramayana has been released, offering the first glimpse of Ranbir Kapoor in the role of Lord Rama. The film, which is planned as a two-part cinematic project, is scheduled for a Diwali release later this year.

The teaser shows several key moments, including scenes from the coronation and the exile period in the forest of Panchavati. Ranbir Kapoor appears in the role of Rama with a calm and composed presence. The teaser also briefly shows Yash in the role of Ravan towards the end.

Ahead of the teaser launch, Alia Bhatt shared a video message on social media asking audiences to support the project and Ranbir Kapoor’s work on the film. In the video, she said the “Rama unit” video would be released and encouraged audiences to watch and support the film.

Budget and scale

Producer Namit Malhotra said the film has been in development for six to seven years and is being made on a large scale. According to him, the total budget for both parts is around $500 million, which is over Rs 4,000 crore combined.

He said the film is being made for a global audience and aims to present the epic on a large cinematic scale while remaining efficient in production.

Music collaboration

The film’s music is being composed through a collaboration between AR Rahman and Hans Zimmer. Rahman said working on a project based on such an iconic epic is challenging, as the team wants to present something new while respecting the importance of the story.

Release plan and cast

The film will be released in two parts. The first part is scheduled for a worldwide release in October 2026 ahead of Diwali, while the second part is planned for release during Diwali 2027.

Apart from Ranbir Kapoor, the film also stars Sai Pallavi, Sunny Deol, Ravi Dubey and Yash in important roles.

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Dhurandhar 2 box office collection day 7 crosses Rs 600 crore in India

Dhurandhar 2 continues its strong box office run, crossing Rs 600 crore in India and Rs 1000 crore worldwide within its first week.

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Ranveer Singh’s film Dhurandhar 2: The Revenge has crossed the Rs 600 crore mark at the India box office within seven days of its release, according to trade estimates. The film has maintained a strong run in both mass centres and urban markets during its first week.

As per trade figures, the film’s India net box office collection stands at around Rs 623 crore after seven days, while the gross domestic collection is estimated to be over Rs 740 crore. The film has also performed strongly in overseas markets, taking its international collection to more than Rs 250 crore. With this, the worldwide box office total has crossed Rs 1,000 crore within the first week of release, as per trade estimates.

Day-wise performance in India

The film opened strongly on March 19 with box office collections of over Rs 100 crore. The film continued to perform well over the next few days, collecting around Rs 80 crore on Day 2 and over Rs 110 crore on Day 3. Collections remained strong over the weekend, followed by an expected drop on weekdays. By Day 7, the film collected around Rs 47 crore, taking the total India net collection past Rs 600 crore.

Overseas performance and comparison

The film has also reported strong performance in overseas markets, particularly in the UK and other key international territories. With the worldwide collection crossing Rs 1,000 crore in the first week, the film is being compared to the fast global box office pace seen by Pushpa 2: The Rule in terms of early box office momentum, according to trade observers.

About the film

Dhurandhar 2: The Revenge is the sequel to the 2025 film Dhurandhar. The sequel features Ranveer Singh along with Arjun Rampal, R. Madhavan and Sanjay Dutt in key roles.

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