Chennai, 5 June

 'Thug Life,' a Kamal Haasan and Mani Ratnam come back movie after nearly 4 decades hit the screens on Thursday, as several frenzied fans reportedly travelled from Bengaluru to watch the movie at nearby Hosur in Tamil Nadu.

The big ticket gangster movie was accorded a big reception in Tamil Nadu by fans of Haasan and Silambarasan TR who burst firecrackers, cut cakes and danced to choicest tunes on the premises of movie halls. Some hysterical fans popped open beer bottles and poured the beverage on giant images (popularly known as cutout) of their beloved stars. 

The craze among fans for the 'First Day First Show,' popularly known as FDFS resurfaced as swarms of fans descended on movie theatres. Several fans of Haasan discussed about Thug Life in social media, gave superb ratings to it and some also compared it with 'Nayakan,' (also a gangster drama) and speculated about box office collections. Mani Ratnam and Haasan are joining hands after Nayakan, which was released in 1987. 

In several places, huge images of the stars were decked with flowers and mega size garlands. Reportedly, several fans from Bengaluru city and suburbs went to Hosur, a distance of about 42 km, to watch the movie. Posts in some social media accounts and reportage in some Tamil news television channels claimed that fans gathered in Hosur to watch the flick.

Haasan's recent remark suggesting that Kannada language was born out of Tamil led to a huge controversy and Karnataka leaders and the Film Chamber of the state demanded that the actor withdraw his statement and tender an apology.

However, Haasan declined to apologise and opted against releasing the movie in Karnataka on 5 June, when it was released worldwide. According to Haasan's fans, the top rated star has a huge following in Karnataka for over 4 decades.

A fan, in a social media post said 'Maro Charitra' (a K Balachandar film, 1978) was continuously screened for 693 days in Bengaluru and till date it is an 'unbeaten' record.

The Haasan-starrer Thug Life's main cast includes Silambarasan, Trisha Krishnan, Abirami and Naasar and AR Rahman has composed the music.

Raaj Kamal Films International in a social media post said: #ThugLifeRules. In Coimbatore, several fans of Haasan appeared in T-shirts embossed with "Mannippu Ketka Mudiyathu," (Will not apologise) and "We stand with Kamal Haasan," slogans in bright black against milk white background.

The Tamil Nadu government allowed a special screening on Thursday. One show was special and four other shows were usual.

Noted film director Ameer, who watched the movie in Madurai, claimed Haasan did not comment anything wrong about any language or underestimate any language adding the actor only mentioned that Kannada was part of the Dravidian family of languages.