June 6, 2025: Thug Life Review: Mani Ratnam’s Thug Life has been greeted with a wave of nostalgia for his golden days of filmmaking, but unfortunately, this film is far from the cinematic heights of Nayakan and Thalapathi. The hype surrounding the movie, mainly because of its reunion with Kamal Haasan after 36 years, quickly fades as it becomes clear that something is missing. The tale of power, betrayal, and moral grey areas in a gangster drama unfolds in a manner that feels tired, disconnected, and ultimately uninspiring.
The movie opens with visual grandeur, a staple of Mani Ratnam’s signature style. Kamal Haasan plays Rangaraya Sakthivel, a seasoned gangster whose life is marred by a sense of destiny entwined with death. The plot takes us through flashbacks of 1994 Old Delhi, where the foundations of Sakthivel’s empire are laid and ultimately betrayed. Despite its compelling premise, Thug Life never quite delivers. The depth of character and emotional weight that made previous collaborations between Ratnam and Haasan memorable is nowhere to be found here.
What Went Wrong for Thug Life?
The film suffers from weak writing, with characters failing to evolve or leave a lasting impact. Sakthivel, a once-thriving criminal, feels more like a caricature than a figure with moral depth. His protégé, Amaran (played by Silambarasan), is meant to bring a complex dynamic to the story, but instead, his character arc comes off as shallow and underdeveloped. The long dialogues, meant to bring weight to their relationship, only feel like filler that never materializes into emotional resonance.
The writing also falters in its exploration of relationships. In Thug Life, even the central relationship between Sakthivel and his wife, Jeeva (Abhirami), feels forced, with shallow moments peppered throughout the movie, leaving the audience to wonder if there was supposed to be more to their bond. Even the brief romantic subplot involving Indrani (Trisha Krishnan) and Amaran is clumsy, relying too heavily on forced dialogue to establish depth where none exists.
The Performances : Thug Life: A Film That Couldn’t Live Up to Its Legacy
Kamal Haasan, while always a compelling presence on screen, struggles to find his rhythm in Thug Life. His performance feels disconnected from the tone of the film, with him leaning into his usual theatricality while the rest of the cast, including Silambarasan, attempts to stay grounded. The result is a mismatch in energy that further detracts from the overall experience.
The supporting cast, though talented, has little to work with. Even the gripping confrontation between Sakthivel and his former ally, Pathros (Joju George), can’t lift the film from its sluggish pace.
AR Rahman’s Music – A Missed Beat
One of the biggest letdowns in Thug Life is AR Rahman’s music. While the maestro is known for his unforgettable scores, here his background music feels completely out of place. The film’s action and emotional beats are often undercut by jarring music choices that detract from the drama instead of elevating it. Even the track “Vinveli Nayaga,” though strong in isolation, loses its impact due to poor placement in the film. It’s a far cry from the symphonic brilliance of his past collaborations with Mani Ratnam.
Cinematography and Action: A Glimmer of Hope
If there’s one redeeming quality in Thug Life, it’s Ravi K Chandran’s cinematography. His lens captures the spirit of the gritty urban setting, bringing life to the streets and locales that serve as the backdrop for this crime saga. However, even the stunning visuals can’t rescue the film from its narrative pitfalls.
The action sequences, handled by Anbariv, also disappoint. While they’re energetic, the choreography lacks the finesse and innovation that might have made up for the film’s emotional shortcomings.
Social Media Reactions: A Disappointment for Fans
The film has not fared well on social media, with fans expressing disappointment over its lackluster storytelling. Many took to platforms like X (formerly Twitter) to lament the absence of the emotional depth that defined Mani Ratnam’s earlier works. Numerous posts referenced Nayakan and Thalapathi, asking, “Where did the magic go?” and even calling Thug Life a forgettable experience.
One post aptly summed up the mood: “Me trying to do Mani Ratnam slander but suddenly remembering he made Nayakan, Thalapathi, Iruvar… #ThugLife.”
A New Kind of Hooliganism?
On a more controversial note, Thug Life was embroiled in political tension, with some factions calling for a boycott of the film due to Kamal Haasan’s remarks about Tamil and Kannada languages. Filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma voiced his support for Haasan, condemning the “hooliganism” surrounding the boycott calls, which further fueled online discourse.
Verdict: A Missed Opportunity
In the end, Thug Life is a film that feels stuck in the past. It doesn’t live up to the legacy of its director or lead actor, relying more on spectacle than substance. Despite a solid cast, stunning visuals, and a strong premise, Thug Life becomes a forgotten gangster drama, plagued by underdeveloped characters, clumsy relationships, and uninspired action. For a film that promised a clash of titans, it falls flat, leaving us with nothing more than the echo of what could have been.