"Thug Life Fails to Impress: Kamal–Mani Ratnam Magic Misses the Mark"

When it comes to a movie in the combination of Kamal Haasan and Mani Ratnam, one can imagine the kind of expectations it would generate among audiences. However, since Kamal Haasan’s recent films have been flopping at the box office, many people are expressing doubts about his new projects. That’s why it can be said that the Telugu openings for Thug Life were not that great. The craze that once surrounded a Mani Ratnam–Kamal Haasan film has clearly diminished. Everyone knows how Indian 2, made by Kamal in combination with Shankar, turned out to be a huge disaster at the box office. Similarly, Thug Life, despite its star-studded cast, failed to impress audiences. Along with Kamal Haasan, the film features Silambarasan (formerly known as Simbu), Trisha, Abhirami, Aishwarya Lekshmi, and Nassar in key roles.

Thug Life means "a life of crime" or "gangster life." The movie revolves around the gangster life itself. When Simbu's father dies at a young age, Kamal Haasan raises him as his own son. He also takes it upon himself to find Simbu’s lost sister. Kamal appears in the film as a gangster who battles even Yama (the god of death). Initially, the plot is about the rivalry between two gangs. Later, when the leader of one gang enters politics, the responsibility of managing the gang falls into Kamal's team’s hands. At one stage, Kamal even starts to suspect members of his own group, and that’s when the story takes a twist. This gangster movie runs for over two and a half hours, and it can be said that there isn’t a single “wow” moment throughout. The entire film proceeds in a very routine manner, with no scenes that make the audience feel any thrill. Mani Ratnam’s style of filmmaking is evident in every scene, but since the story lacks any real interest, the whole movie feels heavy and dragging. Though her screen time is short, Trisha’s role is okay. A. R. Rahman’s background music in a few places somewhat salvages the film. The visuals in the movie are undoubtedly rich. But to put it in one line—neither Kamal Haasan’s nor Mani Ratnam’s magic worked in Thug Life. As a result, the two of them ended up giving audiences yet another boring film.