`Thug Life’ – few flashes of brilliance – rest damp squib

In 1987, Kamal and director Mani Ratnam came together and created history with Tamil movie Nayakan, which is a test book on how a classic movie has to be made.    Everything about that movie was brilliant, story, screenplay, fantastic direction by Mani Ratnam and brilliant acting by Kamal Hassan, the lighting cinematography, art direction and as always excellent music by Illayyaraja.    It deservedly won national award for Kamal Haasan as Best Actor and 3 more national awards, and earnt a permanent place in list of Indian classics.   In the last 38 years both Kamal and Mani have grown in their stature and went on to become the most respected actor and director respectively not only in Tamil industry but in India and world cinema.  Many of their movies, Sagara Sangamama, Swati Mutyam, Appu Raja, Chachi 420, Sadma, Bharateeyudu, Dasavataram for Kamal, Anjali, Roja, Bombay,   Geetanjali, Thalapati, Iruvar, Guru and Ponniyin Selvan for Mani Ratnam have not only became big time hits at box office but earned them state, national and Filmfare awards in dozens.   Fans waited so long for them to collaborate and recreate the magic of Nayakan and atlast they came together with ‘Thug Life’ and as can be expected it has generated  very high expectations from their huge fan base, both having mastered their respective crafts in all these years.     But it is utterly disappointing that it turned out to be anything but what you expect from these two geniuses and after watching the movie one feels it would have been better had they not collaborated again and the fans would have lived with the feeling had they came together they would have created the same magic as `Nayakan’

What went wrong with `Thug Life’

Almost every thing.    To begin with it has a very weak and wafer-thin story line.   The screenplay is equally bad.    Firstly the so called Thug character is not at all well developed to an extent of he  instilling fear among other Thugs and forcing them to fear about him and follow him.   The concept of internal bickering among the gang members and plotting the downfall of the gang leader is as old as the film industry itself.    The reason for the betrayal and plotting to kill him by not one or two but four close confidants is not well narrated to justify their act of forgetting son like brother like relations.   As if it is not enough, the way Kamal comes back to avenge and the way he avenges is handled lousily by the director.    I started wondering is the movie directed by the same Mani Ratnam who handled talented actors like Kamal in Nayakan Mamooty and Rajni in Thalapathy and Prakash Raj and Mohan Lal in Iruvur in such sensitive manner and created gripping and memorable scenes.

Coming to acting Kamal has shown flashes of his genius in few scenes and his big and popping eyes have been effectively used.  Silambarasan did an excellent job and not overawed by the colossal presence of Kamal.   Trisha and Abhirami were good in their brief roles.  AR Rehman, a regular feature with Mani Rathnam from Roja days,  has redeemed himself after a long time with brilliant back ground music and couple of hummable songs.   Action scenes are bit of saving grace in this dull movie, full marks to the Stunt directors for using Kamal doubles very cleverly making us believe as if Kamal has done them, and credit to Kamal that he showed the required energy and intensity in the part of action scenes which he might have done to make it look like real, and at his age of 70 years its incredible.    The shoot out scenes in busy streets of Delhi, the climax action scenes are very well picturized and stand out.

Overall it’s a forgettable movie and a movie with which you would not like to associate the names of two greats of Tamil industry Kamal and Mani.    After watching Bharateeyudu2, I said that its high time director Shankar should retire and stop directing movies (which he justified with another dud `Game Changer’) and now I have to say the same to Mani Ratnam, he should stop directing any more movies like Thug Life, if he has nothing better to offer, since we would love to remember him for his Nayakan, Thalapathy, Iruvur, Roja and Bombay.    As far as Kamal is concerned, he still has fire in his belly, and continue to entertain, if he chooses better subjects, his hunger to experiment and do his best has not yet died.  

Strongly recommended to avoid Thug Life to retain the credible image of Kamal and Mani Ratnam which you might have.

S. Prabhakar

5.6.2025