• Source:JND
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Kamal Haasan and Mani Ratnam’s collaboration for Thug Life was the most talked-about news this year, as the duo was joining hands after four decades. The movie generated a lot of buzz amid all the controversies faced by the team. Initially, the makers opted for an extended 8-week theatrical-to-digital release window, breaking away from the Tamil film industry’s usual 4-week norm. People considered this a strategic move to maintain numbers at the box office. However, the movie failed to strike a chord with the audience and proved to be a theatrical disaster. Just after three weeks, Thug Life lost most of its screens and was pulled from various theatres due to poor viewership.

Thug Life’s disappointing box office performance has led the makers to cut short the 8-week theatrical-to-digital release window. According to a report in Pinkvilla, a source revealed, “Thug Life will premiere on Netflix in just 4 weeks. The negotiations were made after Netflix decided to reduce the OTT price of Thug Life. The film was valued at Rs 130 crore prior to the release, and Netflix was looking to renegotiate the price at Rs 90 crore after the dismissal run. But the parties eventually settled down at Rs 110 crore for the digital rights, with a reduced OTT window of 4 weeks.”

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Makers Fined Over Contract Breach

This move has resulted in a breach of contract between the distributor and the national multiplex chains in North India. “There’s a norm in North India to strictly follow an 8-week window. As Thug Life's time has breached the guidelines, the National Multiplex Chains have imposed a fine on the producers. It’s a nominal amount, where the producers and distributors of Thug Life have to forgo their theatrical share from Hindi. Incidentally, the amount comes to Rs 25 lakh,” the report further claimed.

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After the release of Indian 2, this will be the second time when makers are forced to cut short the 8-week window. Reportedly, multiplex players are still fighting it out with the Thug Life team to follow an 8-week window, but the odds of a shorter window for premiere are high at the moment.