Thug Life, no borders!
Strap: Kamal Haasan fans ride 42 km to Hosur, lighting up screens despite Karnataka ban
Not even a state-wide ban could stop Kamal Haasan fans from catching Thug Life on release day. With the film pulled from theatres across Karnataka over the actor’s controversial remark about Kannada’s roots, diehard fans from Bengaluru simply crossed the border—42 km away to Tamil Nadu’s Hosur—for the first-day-first-show.
Outside theatres in Hosur, it was full-blown celebration. Videos posted online showed crackers bursting and fans hooting as they gathered for the 9 am show. “Thug Life is banned in Karnataka, but no one can stop our love for Kamal Haasan,” wrote one fan on X, as crowds from Bengaluru thronged the venue.
The trigger? A remark by Kamal at a promo event where he said “Kannada was born out of Tamil”. The statement didn’t sit well with Kannadigas and sparked major backlash. A petition soon reached the Karnataka High Court, which questioned if Kamal was “a linguist or a historian”, and remarked that a simple apology could’ve calmed things down.
Theatres across Karnataka stayed shut for the film, but that didn’t dent the buzz. On Reddit, a city-based Kamal fan asked whether riding a bike to Hosur for the film was “safe”. Most replies were upbeat, with Bangaloreans noting the daily flow of people between the two cities and calling the trip “totally normal”.
The film, directed by Mani Ratnam, is Haasan’s big return to the screen alongside an ensemble cast including Silambarasan TR, Trisha Krishnan, Joju George, Ali Fazal, and Nassar. It’s also the first time Kamal and Ratnam have teamed up since Nayakan in 1987—fuel enough to get fans rolling in, state ban or not.
With a high-octane plot, star power, and a side of controversy, Thug Life is clearly drawing more than just cinema chatter—it’s sparking road trips and regional debates. Karnataka may have banned it, but Kamal fans have shown they’re ready to take the expressway for their favourite star. Because if it’s Thug Life, it’s borderless.