At the first press meet of Kamal Haasan starrer Thug Life in Chennai, we were introduced to a world shaped by, as Kamal put it, criminals, Yakuza and gundas. The film, releasing on June 5, 2025, is a gangster action drama film is directed by Mani Ratnam, who co-wrote the script with Kamal Haasan.
The first single ‘Jinguchaa’ from the film was launched on Friday. Set against the backdrop of a pulsating wedding celebration, ‘Jinguchaa’ features Kamal Haasan and Silambarasan TR dancing to a track that is quintessential Rahman—where earthy folk rhythms meet contemporary flair. With lyrics penned by Kamal Haasan, the song carries a playful charm and spirited energy, offering a vibrant first look into the layered world of Thug Life.
The Thug Life team also announced the Thug Life Festival, in collaboration with Just Grow Productions, to be held in Sydney, Australia on Friday, May 23rd, where A.R. Rahman will be performing.
Kamal Haasan, speaking about his association with Mani Ratnam said, "Nothing has changed between Mani in me in the last 38 years after Nayakan. We have a long way to go because we didn't get to realise all our dreams in any film. I'm sure that will be the case in the future films that we do. We dream so big and then we constricted to fit our market and our budget. And let me tell you the reason we didn't get together all this time, the mistake is with us. The reason why we are together now is because of you."
Apart from Haasan, it stars Silambarasan, Trisha Krishnan, Ashok Selvan, Aishwarya Lekshmi, Joju George, Abhirami, Nassar, Ali Fazal, Pankaj Tripathi, Sanya Malhotra, Rohit Saraf and Vaiyapuri.
The film marks the return of Haasan and Ratnam, after their previous film Nayakan (1987). It is jointly produced by Raaj Kamal Films International, Madras Talkies and Red Giant Movies.
The movie was officially announced in November 2022 under the tentative title Kamal Haasan 234, as it is Haasan's 234th film as a lead actor, however, this was later changed. AR Rahman is the music composer.
