Thug Life is Mani Ratnam pulling off a passable drama, made lesser, especially in the first half, in servicing Kamal Hassan’s mega star status. Also, the predictable tone of the lead character’s invincibility brings down Thug Life several notches. Despite the mass audience compulsions, Mani Ratnam still delivers a decent humane gangster drama. The degree of impact is mitigated by Kamal Hassan’s looming omnipresent figure.
Thug Life Story
Sakthivel (Kamal Hassan) is an ageing gangster who feels his hold on the gang slipping. He grows suspicious and wary of his adopted son, and right hand Amaran (Silambarasan). His lure for a mistress Indrani (Trisha Krishnan) clashes with love for his faithful wife Jeeva (Abhirami). A violent cycle unfolds involving Sakthivel’s brother Manickam (Nassar), leading to deadly turn of events. Who will triumph in Sakthivel’s long duel with Yama (God of Death)?
Mani Ratnam Themes
A black and white flashback, a switch to colour jump is familiar Mani Ratnam touch, echoes of Thalapathi (1991) and Iruvar (1997). Despite the format, nothing feels repeated. Telling, effective cinematography, deft lighting, rain and thunder as characters, believable dialogues, and eventually the human takeaway. A touch of Shakespearean drama, though not apparent.
Enough with ‘The Godfather‘ touches?
The Godfather (1972) touches are cleverly done. But can top filmmakers move on from ‘The Godfather’ now? As in Mani Ratnam’s Ravanan (2010), a subtle take on Ramayan, co writers Hassan and Ratnam turn The Godfather book and movie elements into key plot points. The opening scenes of the 1972 gangster classic, turned into a tragic death in Thug Life. A bombing death in The Godfather relived in similar, yet varied strokes. The famous wedding scene becomes a weak take on inter caste marriage in Thug Life.
The ‘Can’t Kill Off a Star’ Handicap
Kamal Hassan’s towering presence is both a blessing and a curse in Thug Life. One can’t deny how Kamal Hassan the actor star commands the proceedings, but also overpowers the story. We know that Sakthivel won’t die, or ever be in grave danger. That is a bummer.
Thug Life, especially in the first half, is often overshadowed by super stardom. A death scene and an unlikely survival tale becomes the most contrived Mani Ratnam storytelling portions. Especially the part on acquired martial arts, and an overheard return from the dead. Also, that old fight scene cliche on why nobody, but one gangster brings a gun to a weapon fight? Oops?
Thug Life: The Good Parts
Despite major hiccups, Mani Ratnam almost saves Thug Life with extraordinary storytelling, like only he can. There are a few of heartrending moments (second half only) that only Ratnam can conjure. A despairing gangster calling out helplessly, a powerful subtext on how women are pawns for men, and a final loss that needed more screen time.
The lovely A.R. Rahman soundtrack is sparingly used. Sugar Baby is not allowed to halt the story and Anju Vanna Poove is powerfully used in parts. O Maara makes for a playful hero intro and chase sequence and location theme. Rahman’s score continues to impress, gelling smoothly with Ratnam’s vision.
Ravi K. Chandran’s cinematography adds strong cinematic language, A. Sreekar Prasad’s editing is sharp and admirable.
The performances are all first-rate. Kamal Haasan, Silambarasan, Trisha Krishnan and Abhirami dazzle in the key scenes. Malayalam movie regular Joju George is a steal in his Ratnam debut. The underrated Nassar is consistently good, again. Aishwarya Lekshmi is mercurial despite the brief part. Ashok Selvan is confidence supreme as the cop. Ali Fazal makes the most of his deranged, brief part. Mahesh Manjrekar is damn convincing. Sanya Malhotra’s guest turn is spirited.
Thug Life: The Underwhelming Parts
A killing and survival of a lead character is easily the sore point of Thug Life. These portions reek of star power predictability. There are snow echoes of The Revenant (2015), but no danger is felt. We know, yawningly, that the hero will survive. These weak central portion ensure Thug Life will not surpass or remotely match Nayakan (1987) heights. Despite the snow, Ratnam has surprisingly no poetic peaks here. The screenplay certainly needed much work here.
The police portions also needed more believable arcs. Jai Royappa as the law never feels real, at best a screenplay pawn to push for a climax twist. Also, Sakthivel conveniently showing at many places without the enemy intervening, does not do Thug Life any favours.
The rousing music and hero introductions are uncharacteristic to Ratnam movies. The ‘Universal Hero’ track pulls down the story intent, eventually meant to be a cautionary take on violence. The loss at the end feels hurried, despite impressive screenplay twists.
Thug Life Review: The Star Barrier?
Despite major stumbles, Mani Ratnam still pulls off many impressive scenes like only he can. For most of the second half, and in many first half portions, he exhibits fluid control on the medium.
The amazing thing is, Thug Life remains extremely watchable despite the many shortfalls. That is the Mani Ratnam magic. It hits most of the intended spots, a greater impact tragically sabotaged by an invincible star presence. There lies its cinematic power, there lies its downfall.
(Article by Snehith Kumbla)
This reviewer watched the 9 A.M. first day, first show Tamil language (with English subtitles) show of Thug Life on June 5, 2025.
