Mani Ratnam’s Thug Life starring Kamal Hassan hit the silver screens today across the country, except in one state. In case you missed it, the film has been banned in Karnataka and hence was not released in the cinema halls in the state. The ban was a result of Haasan’s comment, which stirred up a huge controversy. The actor reportedly said, "Kannada is born from Tamil", which did not sit well with the Kannada-speaking people. Furthermore, his unwillingness to apologise for it, stating it was ‘made out of love’, only added to the woes. Although the film skipped the Karnataka screens, the actor’s fans made sure they watched their beloved star on the big screen, even if that meant travelling miles and crossing state borders. 

Kamal Hassan fans travel 42 km

Kamal Haasan's fans were unstoppable as they took to social media to share their willingness to travel 42 km to watch his latest release. As the film was released on Thursday, social media was flooded with pictures and videos of fans from other states celebrating outside theatres and sharing their reviews of the film. One such user on X (formerly Twitter) posted videos of fans bursting firecrackers outside a single-screen theatre in Hosur.

Thuglife is banned in Karnataka, but no one can stop our love for Kamal Haasan. All the fans in Bangalore are gathered here in Hosur !"#KamalHaasan #KamalHaasan? #Thuglife #ThugLifeFromToday #ThugLifeBlockbuster #Silambarasan #chinnaswamystadium pic.twitter.com/hCSSoQQT0t