Thug Life Movie Review

Thug Life is a 2025 action drama directed by acclaimed filmmaker Mani Ratnam. Featuring a powerful star cast including Kamal Haasan, Trisha Krishnan, Silambarasan, and Joju George, the film revisits the mafia genre. With music by A.R. Rahman and produced under Raaj Kamal Films International, this film marks a long-awaited reunion of Kamal Haasan and Mani Ratnam, a duo best remembered for the cult classic Nayakudu.

Plot Summary:
Rangaraya Shaktiraj (Kamal Haasan) is a gangster based in Delhi, supported by his brother Manikyam (Nassar), and loyal associates Pathros (Joju George) and Anbu Raj (Bhagavathi Perumal). Their rival is Sadanand (Mahesh Manjrekar), who causes a major police shootout leading to a man’s death. The victim’s children — Amar and his sister Chandra — are separated in the chaos.

Shaktiraj shelters young Amar and promises to reunite him with Chandra. His wife Lakshmi (Abhirami) and daughter Manga (Sanjana Krishnamurthy) treat Amar as family. Indrani (Trisha), a woman whom Shaktiraj rescued from a brothel, deeply admires him, and he reciprocates those feelings.

As time passes, Amar grows into a strong leader and begins to take over the reins from Shaktiraj, especially when the latter ends up in prison. Shaktiraj entrusts Amar with everything, which irks Manikyam and Pathros. Meanwhile, Sadanand tries to lure Amar to his side, and internal conflicts arise within the gang. How Amar responds to these power struggles forms the crux of the story.

Analysis:
The anticipation around Thug Life was fueled by the iconic status of Nayakudu, Mani Ratnam's legendary mafia drama. With the director-actor duo reuniting after decades and supported by an ensemble cast and A.R. Rahman’s music, expectations were sky-high. However, Thug Life fails to match those expectations.

While Mani Ratnam is known for his unique visual storytelling, that signature touch appears only occasionally in this film. Though the narrative blends action and emotion, the storyline follows a familiar, uninspired template. Key emotional beats, such as Shaktiraj’s promise to Amar about Chandra, are not reinforced effectively, weakening the emotional core.

The character design also lacks depth. Trisha’s role feels inserted just for appeal rather than narrative purpose, and her motivations remain unclear. Joju George’s talent is underutilized, which is disappointing. Silambarasan's look and character are confusing, and inconsistent references to his relationship with Kamal's character (son-like or brother-like) add to the ambiguity.

Performances:
Kamal Haasan delivers a powerful performance with emotional intensity and screen presence. His portrayal of Shaktiraj is a standout, even in a flawed script. Joju George and Nassar are competent, but their potential is underused. Trisha appears elegant, but her character lacks purpose. Silambarasan’s presence feels mismatched and ill-defined, reducing the impact he could have made.

Technical Aspects:
Mani Ratnam’s screenplay and direction feel slow-paced and overly familiar. The film lacks the freshness typically expected from his works. A.R. Rahman’s music is surprisingly underwhelming and doesn’t leave a lasting impression.

However, Ravi K. Chandran’s cinematography is visually impressive, especially in sequences set in Jaisalmer and Nepal. The car chases are stylishly shot, and the action choreography stands out at several points. Editing by Sreekar Prasad is decent but doesn’t elevate the narrative.

Final Verdict:
Despite the high-profile collaboration and a promising premise, Thug Life disappoints with its routine storytelling and lack of emotional depth. Kamal Haasan’s performance and the technical finesse in certain segments offer some relief, but the film as a whole fails to make an impact. The absence of a compelling antagonist and underdeveloped characters drag it down further. This is a missed opportunity from two stalwarts of Indian cinema.