Thug Life Review: Kamal Haasan and Mani Ratnam’s Indian 2 Feels Like a Confusing Tale of Grandmothers and GranddaughtersThe recently released trailer of the film ‘Malik’ features a close-up side profile of Rajkummar Rao reminiscent of Ranbir Kapoor’s look in ‘Animal’. While some filmmakers may aspire to be the Ranbir Kapoor of the industry, one wonders what happened to a director like Mani Ratnam. In a scene from ‘Thug Life,’ Kamal Haasan is shown fighting with a small axe, evoking memories of the iconic ‘Arjun Velli’! Kamal Haasan’s mega-budget film ‘Thug Life’ marks the reunion of two stalwarts of Tamil cinema. After ‘Nayakan,’ Mani Ratnam and Kamal Haasan have come together again. Kamal Haasan once shared that in their youth, both dreamt of cinema together on mattresses at a scooter stand in Chennai, and this film is one of those dreams. But is it really?
Avoiding Direct Competition Raises Doubts
‘Thug Life’ was one of the most anticipated films of the year, expected to give the Hindi film ‘Housefull 5’ tough competition. However, the film’s release was moved from Friday to Thursday, signaling that the team might not be ready for a direct box office clash. The story itself seems unfit for a director like Mani Ratnam, who has crafted masterpieces in Tamil and Hindi cinema. Even his assistant directors like Bejoy Nambiar have struggled to match his stature. Yet, ‘Thug Life’ is a Mani Ratnam film—director of classics like ‘Roja,’ ‘Bombay,’ and ‘Dil Se.’ It’s hard to accept. The Delhi-based story, which should have had nationwide resonance, lacks coherence. There is no clear timeline or logical flow; the distance between Goa and Delhi is traversed by characters as if through a time portal.
Weakest Link: The Screenplay
The film’s biggest flaw is its story, screenplay, and dialogues. Starting in 1994, the film shows a young Kamal Haasan. The plot revolves around Delhi’s mafia, with two gangs negotiating a truce, one of which is allied with the police. There is gunfire. Kamal Haasan’s character, Shaktivel, resembles his role in ‘Nayakan.’ He tries to escape by using a newspaper hawker’s child as a shield. This child grows up to become his successor. However, caught between sibling rivalry, the grown-up child becomes a pawn in a chess game. The film runs decently until the interval, but post-interval it feels as if Mani Ratnam left the film to his assistants. The film falls flat, creating a huge disappointment among fans of both Mani Ratnam and Kamal Haasan.
Kamal Haasan’s Biggest Letdown
It is painful to recall that Kamal Haasan’s first Hindi film ‘Ek Duuje Ke Liye’ was released on June 5, 1981, and since then his fans have awaited more quality films. His film ‘Sadma’ remains a favorite among Hindi film audiences. However, viewers of ‘Thug Life’ will feel cheated, akin to ordering an iPhone online and receiving a soap bar. Kamal Haasan’s character Shaktivel is shown through youth, adulthood, old age, and nearly retirement. Kamal Haasan himself disappoints the most, leaving audiences waiting for his magic post-interval in vain. It feels like after Shankar, he has now made ‘Indian 2’ with Mani Ratnam.
Grandmother Confusion in Hindi Dub
Unlike South cinema’s Hindi dubs, ‘Thug Life’ suffers from careless dubbing. At first, it seems like a slip of calling Shaktivel’s daughter’s grandson ‘pota’ (grandson), but near the end, Shaktivel calls his wife the child’s grandmother, confirming the mistake. Continuity errors abound. Kamal Haasan, skilled in makeup learned in Hollywood, looks inconsistent, especially after surviving death scenes. Ravi K. Chandran’s cinematography shines, and some Mani Ratnam-branded scenes are well-crafted. Editor A. Sreekar Prasad could have trimmed the film’s length for better pacing.
Trisha Krishnan Shines
After Kamal Haasan, Trisha Krishnan delivers the best performance as Indrani, a character rescued from a Mumbai dance bar. Silambarasan plays Kamal Haasan’s adopted son convincingly, while Abhirami as his wife Jiva also impresses. Aishwarya Lakshmi as Chandra makes an impact despite a small role. Ali Fazal’s performance is average; during fight scenes, he seems distracted by his hair. Mahesh Manjrekar’s role as Sadanand is effective, and if the film had focused more on his and Shaktivel’s rivalry, it might have had more impact. Technically, the film is strong. After a long time, A.R. Rahman’s songs are enjoyable, but the weak story undermines everything.
