Thug Life : Tamil Nadu Slashes Ticket Prices While Karnataka Threatens Ban Over Kamal Haasan’s Kannada Remark!
Thug Life : Tamil Nadu Slashes Ticket Prices While Karnataka Threatens Ban Over Kamal Haasan’s Kannada Remark!
Just a few days away from its theatrical debut on June 5, Kamal Haasan’s Thug Life is caught in an intersection of forces. On one hand, Tamil Nadu’s government has lowered the entertainment rate. This spells a significant advantage as it relates to the theatrical life of the film. On the other hand, Karnataka is threatening a full release ban due to the comment made by the actor-politician regarding how the Kannada language originated.
It is a good day for moviegoers and exhibitors, as the Tamil Nadu government has lowered the Local Bodies Entertainment Tax (LBET) from 8.6% to 4%, which means the tax burden on moviegoers has nearly been halved. The new prices will come into effect just in time for the theatrical release of Thug Life.
This initiative followed Kamal Haasan making a direct appeal for it, and it is expected that this will drive more feet to theatres, particularly for big-budget films such as Thug Life. Film exhibitors and producers applauded the move, arguing that this is “a win for content and commerce”.
While festivities are underway in Tamil Nadu, the very opposite is the case in Karnataka, where pro-Kannada groups and the Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce have sounded the alarm on Kamal Haasan. At a fair recent event, he allegedly said Kannada “was born in Tamil Nadu”, sparking fury in Kannada land.
A few groups want an apology from the actor, or they threaten to stop the release of Thug Life in Karnataka. Kamal Haasan has been adamant, stating,
With the advance booking not yet opened in that region, there is no certainty on whether the film will receive smooth sailing upon release in Karnataka.
Although it may be a challenge at the box office, Thug Life is already guaranteed a post-theatrical release on Netflix India eight weeks after its release in cinemas.
Directed by the great Mani Ratnam, the film marks his first film with Kamal Haasan since Nayakan decades before. Thug Life has a star-studded cast, which includes Simbu, Trisha, Ashok Selvan, Aishwarya Lekshmi, and Joju George, with music composed by AR Rahman.
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Thug Life is a film that has already made two headlines, for good reasons and bad reasons. With the Tamil Nadu ticket slice buoying numbers on its home turf and Karnataka about to shut down, Kamal Haasan’s return to the screen under Mani Ratnam’s gaze is a complicated release.
If memorable controversy equals sales, then this one should skyrocket. But in the end, it’s the power of cinema and storytelling that will determine whether Thug Life is a hit — or a headline.
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