Thug Life: Kamal Haasan, Simbu, Trisha’s Fees and Film Budget Revealed

Veteran actor Kamal Haasan returns to the silver screen with Thug Life, a high-profile action drama directed by legendary filmmaker Mani Ratnam. This much-anticipated Tamil film also features Kollywood star Silambarasan TR (Simbu) in a powerful role. The ensemble cast includes popular names like Trisha, Abhirami, Aishwarya Lekshmi, Joju George, Pankaj Tripathi, and Sanya Malhotra.

Thug Life marks a historic reunion between Kamal Haasan and Mani Ratnam after 38 years since their cult classic Nayakan. Naturally, the film has been creating waves ever since it was announced, and expectations have been sky-high. To match the buzz, the makers have mounted the film on a massive scale with a grand production and extensive promotional efforts.

Interestingly, a significant portion of the budget reportedly went into paying the actors. Kamal Haasan, who also co-produced the film, has reportedly waived his acting fee. Mani Ratnam, also serving as a co-producer, followed suit. Instead of upfront payments, both industry stalwarts have opted for a share in the film’s profits.

Among the cast, Simbu is said to be the highest-paid actor in the film, taking home a massive ₹40 crore for his role. Leading lady Trisha reportedly earned around ₹12 crore—three times more than her usual remuneration.

Supporting actors Ashok Selvan and Joju George were paid ₹1 crore each, while Abhirami is believed to have received ₹50 lakh for her part.

Including remunerations and production expenses, the total budget of Thug Life is estimated to be around ₹300 crore. With such high stakes involved, all eyes are now on the film’s box office performance as it gears up to hit theatres.