Thug Life Review: Kamal Haasan and Mani Ratnam had previously collaborated on Nayakan, which was released 38 years ago. The film had received critical acclaim and was a box office success. Now, the actor-director duo has teamed up for Thug Life, which has hit the big screens today (June 5, 2025). It is a Tamil film, but has been dubbed and released in multiple languages, including Hindi. We watched the movie in Hindi, and sadly, we were left disappointed.
The film is about Rangraya Sakthivel (Kamal Haasan), a gangster. In 1994, during a shootout between cops and his gang, he uses a kid named Amar to save himself. As the kid’s father passes away during the shootout, Sakthivel decides to keep Amar with him and raises him like his younger brother. The movie then moves forward to 2016, and due to a murder, Sakthivel has to go to jail. In his absence, he tells Amar (Silambarasan TR) to take care of the gang and the business, and then starts the game of power and betrayal.
Thug Life is written and directed by Mani Ratnam, and Haasan has co-written the film. The biggest problem with the movie is the outdated storyline. We have watched such movies in the 80s and 90s. Also, the way Ratnam has directed the film it fails to keep us hooked to the screen, and it is very predictable. You know what’s going to happen next, and how things will unfold. Even the runtime of Thug Life is very long. It is 165 minutes, and the makers could have easily shortened it by 15 minutes.
The movie is filled with multiple emotional scenes, but only two scenes in the second half leave a mark, and the others don’t create any impact. One thing that surely deserves a mention is the wonderful cinematography done by Ravi K. Chandran.
Thug Life Review - Actors’ Performance
There is no doubt that Kamal Haasan is one of the best actors we have in the Indian film industry, and he proves that once again with Thug Life. From emotional scenes to action, Haasan is simply excellent in the movie. Silambarasan TR has also done a very good job, and he stands tall along with Haasan.
Talking about the female leads, Abhirami as Jeeva (Sakthivel’s wife) steals the show and leaves a very strong mark. Her emotional scene with Haasan in the second half is one of the highlights of the film. Trisha Krishnan as Indrani doesn’t have much to do, and she is fine in whatever role she has. Aishwarya Lekshmi has an extended cameo, and she is damn good.
Other supporting actors like Nassar, Mahesh Manjrekar, and Ashok Selvan are good in their respective roles; especially Selvan grabs our attention the most with his cop act. Ali Fazal, Rajshri Deshpande, and Rohit Saraf are totally wasted in the film.
Thug Life Review - Music
We didn’t like AR Rahman’s music in Chhaava, which was released earlier this year. But the maestro is back with a bang with Thug Life. Songs and background score are undoubtedly the best elements of the film.
Thug Life Review Final Verdict
Overall, Mani Ratnam and Kamal Haasan’s Thug Life is a movie with an outdated concept. It is predictable and very long. If you are a die-hard fan of Haasan, then you can give it a try. Others can skip it.
Ratings: 2 stars
