‘Thug Life’ Movie Review: Kamal Haasan and Silambarasan’s Strong Performances Fail To Uplift Mani Ratnam’s Weakly Sketched Gangster Drama (LatestLY Exclusive)

Thug Life Movie Review: I think Kamal Haasan committed a cardinal sin even before Thug Life reached cinemas. No, I’m not talking about the Tamil-Kannada row that has prevented the film’s release in Karnataka. I’m talking about when Kamal said that his latest collaboration with Mani Ratnam would be better than Nayagan (1987). ‘Thug Life’ Twitter Review: Kamal Haasan, Silambarasan TR and Trisha Krishnan’s Top-Notch Performances Fail To Save Mani Ratnam’s ‘Predictable’ Gangster Drama, Say Netizens.

Nayagan isn’t just one of the finest films by both the actor and the director - it’s widely regarded as one of the best gangster dramas in Indian cinema. I’m not suggesting that it’s untouchable, or that Kamal and Mani couldn’t possibly make a better film. But Thug Life never gave the impression it might be a masterpiece right from the trailers. I went in expecting a decent film, and yes, despite my low expectations, I was simply excited about a Kamal Haasan-Mani Ratnam creative collaboration. So it breaks my heart to report that not only was I right about Thug Life not matching Nayagan, it might just be one of Mani Ratnam’s weakest films.

'Thug Life' Movie Review - The Plot

Thug Life is a gangster drama that slides into a revenge tale. Rangaraya Sakthivel (Kamal Haasan) heads a powerful gang in Delhi, originally formed by his elder brother Manikkam (Nasser). His trusted men include characters played by Joju George, Tanikella Bharani, Vaiyapuri, and Bagavathi Perumal.

But Sakthivel trusts Amar (Silambarasan TR) the most. Amar is his foster son, adopted after the boy’s father was killed in a shootout between Sakthivel’s gang and the police. Amar’s sister went missing during the same incident, and he asks Sakthivel to help find her.

Watch the Trailer of 'Thug Life':

When Sakthivel ends up in prison for killing a rival’s nephew, he leaves Amar in charge. Not everyone in the gang is thrilled with this decision. Amar expands operations and makes some bold decisions that don’t sit well with Sakthivel. When Sakthivel is released, jealousy creeps in. Mistrust builds, others exploit it, and things spiral into betrayal and bloodshed.

'Thug Life' Movie Review  - A Passable First Half

(Spoilers ahead) The first half is passable. The film opens in 1994, showing how Amar comes under Sakthivel’s care. Shot in black and white, this sequence - with its tone and time setting - feels like an intentional nod to Nayagan. Kamal’s de-aged look works well enough. I wasn’t entirely convinced by the reason behind Amar’s father’s death - it felt a bit contrived, a problem that plagues much of Thug Life - but it was a solid start. Mani Ratnam shows he can still do wonders with dramatic conversational scenes, like the one between young Amar and Sakthivel at his father’s funeral.

Cut to 2016, and Sakthivel’s gang supposedly controls Delhi. The film doesn’t let us question how far their influence spreads - it rushes through scenes and subplots with barely any breathing room, yet somehow Thug Life still feels overlong. The characters and their motivations are barely fleshed out.

We meet Sakthivel’s loyal wife Jeeva (Abhirami), his mistress Indrani (Trisha Krishnan) - a former bar dancer who is now an actress - his rival Sadanand’s vengeful nephew Deepak (Ali Fazal), who pops in just to stir things up and disappears when convenient. He returns later, purely so the film has a last-act antagonist.

A character grieving his daughter’s suicide is soon revealed to be jealous of Sakthivel, constantly carping about him. Meanwhile, Sakthivel’s own gang members resent him - though the film never properly explains why they favour Amar over their leader. ‘Thug Life’: Kamal Haasan Reveals His Mani Ratnam Film Is Revived From ‘Amar Hai’, Once Planned With Saif Ali Khan – All You Need To Know About Shelved Project (Watch Video).

'Thug Life' Movie Review - Potential Idead That Deserve Better Implementation

There are some good ideas - I won’t deny that. Though Delhi feels like a curious setting for a film like this, Sakthivel explains in one scene how the city has always symbolised families turning against one another, dating back to the Mughal era - a fate that later befalls his own family. When Pathrose (Joju George) tells Amar that losing trust in their line of work means certain death, it’s a compelling moment, planting the seeds for Amar’s eventual betrayal of his foster father.

The hospital scene, where an injured Sakthivel questions Amar’s absence during the convoy attack, and their subsequent car conversation - where Sakthivel expresses remorse for doubting Amar’s loyalty - showcases Mani Ratnam’s mastery in transforming simple sequences into gripping drama.

Alas, these remain mere glimpses, as the director is often let down by the screenplay he co-wrote with Kamal Haasan, which feels shallow in places (this feels even more inferior to Ratnam's previous gangster drama, Chekka Chivantha Vaanam).

At times, characters act against their established nature, making questionable decisions. For instance, Amar knows Sakthivel’s associates resent him - so why would he trust them when they feed him a fabricated story from the past, one that ultimately drives him to betray Sakthivel? If self-preservation had been the sole motive, it would have been more convincing. Instead, by hinging the conflict on revenge sparked by falsehoods, Thug Life sets itself up a predictable resolution that loses out on an emotional impact.

'Thug Life' Movie Review - A Disappointing Revenge Saga

The second half, where Sakthivel returns from the dead after two years following a botched assassination attempt, is where Thug Life completely falters. The film hastily skims over how he has been trained in martial arts at a monastery near Nepal - perhaps fearing the plot might veer too close to Indian 2 - before dropping him in Delhi to eliminate those who left him for dead. While the revenge sequences mostly lack impact, his fight with Pathrose at Faridabad railway station manages to stand out. From there, the story limps toward its inevitable face-off between Sakthivel and Amar.

This face-off had potential. But again, the writing around Amar’s character lets it down. His motivations flip-flop - he tells Manikkam he doesn’t want to fight Sakthivel anymore, then in the next breath says he’s sent Pathrose after him. His lust for Indrani is clumsily tied into a metaphor about kings taking not just a throne but the queen too, verbally hammered in during a beachside scene. It’s a weak attempt to paint him in shades of grey while also trying to humanise him. Silambarasan is solid, especially in the first half where his restrained performance stands out, but his arc never fully lands. The final attempt at redeeming him through a past reveal feels predictable and unearned.

Sakthivel is the only character who feels even slightly complete. He’s no Velu Nayicker - in writing or emotional depth - but he does evolve the most among all the characters here. Kamal Haasan, despite his own disappointing script, brings dignity and vulnerability to the role and he carries the film as much as he can with his performance. A standout moment is when he reunites with his wife after he returns from his two-year hiatus - Haasan is simply brilliant there.

The rest of the cast mostly stay afloat thanks to their own screen presence. Some probably signed on just to work with Mani Ratnam. Ali Fazal is wasted in a villain role that’s almost comical. Ashok Selvan as an honest cop feels like a throwback to Nasser’s character in Nayagan, but without the depth. Nasser himself, ironically, is stuck in yet another poorly written negative role - see also Retro. Joju George, Mahesh Manjrekar, Tanikella Bharani, and Bagavathi Perumal do what’s asked of them, but none leave a lasting impression.

When it comes to the female characters, I'm inevitably reminded of a conversation between Sakthivel and Manikkam, where Sakthivel argues that modern women should be independent and self-reliant. Yet the screenplay contradicts this philosophy at every turn. One female lead remains blindly devoted to her unfaithful husband, while another describes herself as mere "spoils of war." To their credit, Abhirami and Trisha deliver respectable performances - but where is the independence Sakthivel championed? Even Aishwarya Lekshmi, who enters in the second half as a potentially crucial character, finds her arc rushed to reach its predetermined conclusion. PS: What's Rajshri Deshpande doing in the film, playing mother to Ali Fazal, who is just a couple of years younger than her?

'Thug Life' Movie Review - Technically Uneven

Technically, Thug Life is uneven. Ravi K Chandran’s wide shots bring an unexpected calm to some scenes, but close-ups during action sequences reveal the overuse of green screens. Sreekar Prasad’s editing is surprisingly choppy, particularly in the action scenes. Adult Amaran’s introduction is a glaring example of how jarring some cuts feel.

AR Rahman’s score is serviceable but not remarkable. "Jinguchaa" is catchy, "Anju Vanna Poove" is mellow, but "Sugar Baby" feels completely unnecessary to the plot. The background score works best during the dramatic exchanges, but the rap segments in some of the ‘mass’ scenes feel misplaced. ‘Indian 2’ Movie Review: Kamal Haasan’s Senapathy Makes a Tedious Return in Shankar’s Worst Film to Date!

'Thug Life' Movie Review - Final Thoughts

Thug Life had the makings of something powerful - a reunion of legends, rich themes of betrayal and legacy, and a central relationship brimming with dramatic potential. But the film falls apart under the weight of a shallow script, inconsistent characterisation, and overstuffed themes. It’s not the worst film you’ll see this year - but from Mani Ratnam and Kamal Haasan, you expect far, far more and this falls much, much below that.

(The opinions expressed in the above article are of the author and do not reflect the stand or position of LatestLY.)

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 05, 2025 03:18 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).