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A much-anticipated reunion between Legendary Mani Ratnam and Kamal Haasan, Thug Life arrives 38 years after their iconic Nayakan /Nayakudu, a film that redefined the gangster genre in Indian cinema. This collaboration set expectations sky-high. AR Rahman joins the duo while their own banners, Raaj Kamal Films International and Madras Talkies produced th film leading to hype around the film. Thug Life Hit the screens on June 5. Let's delve into the review.
The core narrative of Thug Life revolves around Kamal Haasan and his adopted like son Simbu who are gangsters. What happens in the course of time followed by deciet, betrayal and revenge forms the crux of the Thug Life.
Rangaraya Sakthiraju (Kamal Haasan), a powerful figure in the criminal underworld. The story begins with a poignant flashback, introducing a young boy, Amar (Silambarasan), who loses his father in a cop-gangster shootout. Sakthiraju, partially responsible for this tragedy, takes it upon himself to raise Amar and reunite him with his estranged sister, Chandra. Amar grows up to become Sakthivel’s trusted aide, but things take a turn when Shaktiraju's brother, Manikyam (Nassar), seeds enmity in Amar against Sakthiraju which leads to a brutal betrayal. Amar, influenced by Manikyam, turns against his mentor. What follows next forms the entirity of Thug Life. Meanwhile, Sakthiraju has a lover Indrani (Trisha) and Wife Abhirami.
Kamal Haasan as Sakthivel is undeniably the film's anchor. His screen presence remains terrific, and his acting skills are consistently on display. However, his performance loses impact as the film progresses, primarily due to weak writing that renders his powerful character surprisingly powerless and lacking the threatening body language expected of a figure like Sakthiraju. While de-aging technology is used effectively for his younger portrayal, the overall impact of his performance is diminished by a lack of compelling material.
Silambarasan (Simbu), as Amar, is given a crucial role, holding equal importance to Kamal's character. However, his impact is barely felt. While he looks decent and his styling is fine, he fails to leave any lasting impression due to a poorly written role that is neither fully heroic nor villainous, leading to a largely forgettable performance.
Trisha Krishnan as Indrani, Sakthiraju's love interest rescued from prostitution, delivers a strong performance within her limited scope. However, her character is ultimately perceived as an unnecessary deviation from the main plot, undermining other significant story arcs, and her "Sugar Baby" song sequence is wasted.
Abhirami as Jeeva, Sakthiraju's wife, shines, especially in the second half, with a well-defined role that allows her to stand out. Nassar, playing Sakthiraju's brother Manikyam, and Joju George, Ashok Selvan, and Aishwarya Lekshmi are part of a supporting cast. While they all deliver their performances adequately, their characters are largely underwritten and given limited scope, preventing them from making a strong positive impact. Ashok Selvan, in particular, is noted as miscast as a police officer.
Thug Life attempts to weave a complex tapestry of gang politics, betrayal, and revenge, a common theme in Mani Ratnam’s filmography. However, it largely fails to refresh this familiar template with engaging drama or unexpected twists. The film’s primary strength lies in its technical aspects, particularly Ravi K. Chandran’s cinematography, which consistently delivers stunning visuals, be it high-octane action sequences or breathtaking landscapes, significantly enhancing the viewing experience. Production values by Raaj Kamal Films International and Madras Talkies are also noted as solid, contributing to a grand, big-ticket cinematic feel.
However, the film’s drawbacks are numerous and significantly outweigh its positives. A major disappointment is A.R. Rahman’s music and background score. While "Achcha Vanne Poovvaa" is highlighted as a standout song, the rest of the album fails to leave an impression, and the background score is described as largely absent or muted, a critical misstep for a revenge-driven gangster drama that demands a powerful score to elevate action and emotional highs. The editing by Sreekar Prasad is a significant weakness. The first half feels decent, and the second half drags even further, making the runtime exhausting and difficult to sit through.
In conclusion, Thug Life, despite the legendary names attached, is a significant disappointment. While it boasts excellent visual quality and a strong initial premise, it succumbs to a predictable plot, underdeveloped characters, an absent musical score, and a narrative that fails to generate any genuine emotional investment or excitement. It stands as an example to how even the most anticipated collaborations can fall short when the fundamental elements of storytelling—character, emotion, and narrative propulsion—are not meticulously executed. Considering all these, CineJosh goes with 2.25 rating for 'Thug Life'
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