Thugs of Hindostan is a 2018 Indian Hindi-language period action-adventure film written and directed by Vijay Krishna Acharya, and produced by Aditya Chopra under his banner Yash Raj Films. The film stars Amitabh Bachchan, Aamir Khan, Fatima Sana Shaikh, Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub, Ronit Roy, Katrina Kaif and Lloyd Owen. Set during the period of Company rule in India, the film follows a small-time thug from Awadh, Firangi Mallah, who is sent by an East India Company official to infiltrate and counter a band of thugs. Produced at an estimated budget of –, Thugs of Hindostan is one of the most expensive Bollywood films. Initially titled Thug, the film marked the first time Khan and Bachchan featured together as leads, and was the second collaboration between Khan, Acharya and Kaif, after Dhoom 3 (2013), and between Khan and Shaikh after the latter's debut in Khan-produced Dangal. Principal photography commenced on 5 June 2017 in Malta; the film was also shot in Thailand and Mehrangarh. It was put on a short hiatus after Bachchan was injured on set. Filming concluded in March 2018, the final schedule being completed in Rajasthan. The soundtrack was composed by Ajay–Atul, with lyrics written by Amitabh Bhattacharya, while John Stewart Eduri composed the background score. Thugs of Hindostan was released during the week of the Diwali festival, on 8 November 2018. It received generally negative reviews from critics and audiences, with praise towards the performances of Bachchan and Khan but received criticism towards Acharya's direction, screenplay, script and performances of the supporting cast. The film recorded the highest first-day collection and highest two-day collection for any Hindi film in India, and the fourth biggest opening weekend in India, but immediately experienced a significant drop in the second day itself. The film released in China on 28 December 2018, where a special edition edited by Aamir Khan was released with a shorter run-time than the original version. Thugs of Hindostan has grossed () at the worldwide box office, becoming the 38th highest grossing Indian film of all time. Plot In 1795, when the Indian subcontinent was known as Hindustan or Hindostan, King Mirza Sikander Baig is killed by John Clive. The residents of his kingdom are massacred, and the land is annexed by Lord Clive of the East India Company. The only survivors are his daughter, Zafira Baig, and general, Khudabaksh. Khudabaksh defeats the retreating enemy soldiers, and