Tamil superstar Kamal Haasan's Thug Life finally released in theatres on Thursday (June 5), however, the initial reviews are in stark contrast to the buzz that the film had created before its release. Netizens dubbed the film "uninteresting", and some even mentioned that it misses the Mani Ratnam magic.
Thug Life, starring Kamal Haasan in the lead, along with Silambarasan TR, Trisha Krishnan, Aishwarya Lekshmi, Ali Fazal, Rohit Saraf, Sanya Malhotra, and others, has been directed by legendary filmmaker Mani Ratnam. However, despite the stellar ensemble cast and the director's name and reputation attached to it, the film could not impress the audience.

"The second half goes downhill. Surprisingly too much talking in a Mani Ratnam film. It's hard to watch ur favorite director making a mediocre movie (sic)," a user wrote on X.
Another viewer wrote, "Kamal Haasan delivers a solid performance, but his never-ending monologues wear you down. Simbu handles his part well, but even that can’t rescue the sluggish, flat second half. The trademark Mani Ratnam spark? Nowhere to be found (sic)."
"It was uninteresting, routine, emotionless aimless and unimpressive in every way, yet undeniably musical and stylish (sic)," a fan stated.
High expectations were mounted on Thug Life ever since the film was announced, and people were excited to see the mega collaboration between Kamal Haasan and Mani Ratnam.

But the film also stirred up its fair share of controversies after it got banned in Karnataka over a comment by Haasan at the film's audio launch. "Kannada is born out of Tamil," he said, and all hell broke loose.
The matter landed up in the Karnataka High Court, and while audience, politicians and even the judges asked Haasan to apologise for his remark, he refused to do so, stating that the statement was said out of love, and not malice.