Thug Life – Movie Review

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The much hyped Thug Life, directed by Mani Ratnam feat thespian Kamal Hassan along with a long cast & crew released on 5th June 2025 amidst much fanfare. 

AR Rahman and Mani Ratnam join hands after their last outing Ponniyin Selvan (2022) while Mani Ratnam and Kamala Hassan come together after 38 years since their last collab – Nayakan. 

It It is quite clear that Mani Ratnam has a large team of Assistant Directors who are clued in to the latest trends that intrigue the Millennials and Gen Z and this reflects in most parts of the movie. This is not to take away the genius of Mani Ratnam himself. 

The movie revolves around a father-son duo who are both orphans and grow up to become Dons in their own ways. 

The movie is set in the national capital of New Delhi where Rangaraya Sakthivel (Kamal) came as a young man 40 years ago from Kayalpattinam, Tirunelveli.

 

He finds the young boy Amar (Simbu) orphaned in a shoot-out and brings him up as his own younger brother.


Simbu’s love track runs in parallel with Trisha. But Kamal also likes her, though he is married to Jeeva (Abirami).

 

Over time, differences crop up between father and son and they finally decide to face-off. Victory over the evil is the climax.



Silambarasan has come a long way over the last 20 years, from doing silly roles portraying as a college student to a terrified lover and several boy-next door characters. 


What sets him apart in Thug Life is not just his mental maturity but his acting prowess.


That he has already been tutored by Mani Ratnam in Chekka Chevantha Vaanam (2018) is one. But he has sharpened himself much more in recent years is another.



Trisha – what to say about her! She looks as young and exuberant as she looked in Lesa Lesa or Saamy two decades ago. Her grace on screen is as unmatched as what she is seen offline.

 

Abirami has done a much better comeback in Thug Life than in Vettaiyan (feat. Rajinikanth).

 

ARR’s background music highlights the key elements of the movie, even as a few songs have been chartbusters over the last 3 weeks, ever since the music album was released.



Cinematography by Ravi K Anand is mind boggling, with stunning visuals on sets, as well as showcasing real locations with their pristine beauty.


Last but not the least, Kamal Hassan carries the movie on his nimble shoulders all through, just like how he has done for most of his films in the last 40 years. 


Here is a man who never ages in his screen persona, though his speed of delivery – be it dialogues, or action scenes has significantly come down due to being a septuagenarian senior citizen.


 

Produced by Kamal Hassan and Mani Ratnam and released by Red Giant Movies owned by TN Deputy Chief Minister Udayanidhi Stalin, the movie has released worldwide at over 1,100 screens (except in Karnataka). 


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