KAMAL HAASAN DESERVES BETTER, SO DO WE

Let's be honest. Relationships, and the reasons people are drawn to each other, are far too layered to fit neatly into screenwriting templates. Even the finest storytellers can falter. After K Balachander, Mani Ratnam brought emotional nuance and complexity to relationships in Tamil cinema. But Thug Life lacks that depth. The emotions feel distant and, at times, even undignified.

Nayakan worked because we didn't see Kamal Haasan. We saw only Sakthivel, aka Velu Naicker. But in Thug Life, the protagonist (Rangaraaya Sakthivel) is eclipsed by Kamal's stardom. The film bends itself around the star instead of the story, and in doing so, loses its distinct tone.

Kamal doesn't need to be a superhero or appear in elaborate action set-pieces. He just needs a strong, grounded character. He is a legend. Give him good writing, and he will soar.

Kamal doesn't need to do what Rajinikanth does. Who feeds him these ideas and convinces him that fans want this? We don't. And Thug Life proves it.

We don't need de-ageing gimmicks. They scream artificiality. We know Kamal's age. The use of body doubles is obvious, and it feels awkward.

Audiences are not naive. We crave authenticity. We want stories rooted in truth, with characters who feel real. Celebrate people as they are, not their digitally polished versions. In a world full of pretence, truth is what resonates.

This criticism comes from a place of deep admiration. Kamal has set the bar sky-high, and that is exactly why this hurts. We waited 38 years for this. Those stunning monochrome portions held so much promise, and then it all fell apart.

There is also an odd normalisation of certain relationships. We are expected to accept them at face value, but why? Beyond a few kisses and fleeting moments, there is no insight into what binds Sakthivel and Indrani (Trisha), or why she chooses to stay with an ageing man. We don't know what made them connect in the first place. There is no backstory, emotional scaffolding, or even a meaningful conversation to hold it up. It all feels hollow.

Thug Life may be Mani Ratnam's weakest film. That is not a statement made lightly. Disappointment is not a feeling we usually associate with his work. Even in his most criticised films like Kadal, Raavanan, or Kaatru Veliyidai (which I loved despite its flaws), there were flashes of his signature style and emotional depth. Where did all of that go?

Mani Ratnam has created some of the most memorable women in Tamil cinema. Divya (Mouna Ragam), Shakti (Alaipayuthey), Indira (Kannathil Muthamittal), Sujatha (Guru), Tara (OK Kanmani). And now comes Indrani. It is hard to come to terms with how underwritten she is.

Indrani could have been this film's Nila (Saranya Ponvannan) from Nayakan, but she ends up a sketch, a shadow of what she could've been.

The women are reduced to tired tropes: the ever-forgiving wife and the mistress as a mere object of desire. Hasn't Tamil cinema moved past this? Vadivukkarasi, a towering performer, is reduced to playing guardian to Sakthivel's mistress. It is heartbreaking.

Thug Life has no clear identity. Is it a family drama, an action thriller, an emotional saga? It tries to be everything and ends up as nothing.

And those artificial pigeons fluttering, in a Mani Ratnam film? It felt like a startling fall from grace, especially from a filmmaker who once set the standard for cinematic authenticity and earned our trust over decades.

Trisha deserved more. We have seen what she is capable of in films like VTV and 96. Here, she feels hollow, not because of her performance, but because the character lacks substance.

And that beach scene between Simbu and Trisha! Where did that "romance" even come from? There is no buildup. We don't know why Simbu's character (Amar) is obsessed with Indrani. He knows she chooses Sakthivel, yet he remains stuck. Why? Only Mani Ratnam or Kamal can answer that.

It feels like large chunks of the story were edited out, leaving the audience to fill in the gaps.

Yes, there are brief flashes of Mani Ratnam's brilliance, but the missteps are too loud to ignore.

The world of Thug Life is painfully generic. We know very little about who these gangsters are or what they actually do. In Nayakan, it was specific. In Aaytha Ezhuthu, the stakes were clear. Even Chekka Chivantha Vaanam, which I didn't entirely like, feels far more coherent after watching this. At least, it had clarity, convincing conflicts, and purpose. Thug Life is a muddle.

Despite the superb set design and Ravi K Chandran's exquisite visuals, the film feels oddly bland. The emotional disconnect is palpable throughout.

The only saving grace is A R Rahman's music. Without it, the film would collapse, and it still does. 

How could something as gorgeous as Muththamazhai be left out? The makers didn't have time for it? So many unnecessary scenes could have easily made way for that one moment of beauty. Both versions (Chinmayi’s and Dhee’s) were celebrated long before the release. The song deserved to be experienced on the big screen, in all its glory.

Once upon a time, Mani Ratnam’s songs helped tell the story. Agni Natchathiram, Roja, Bombay, Iruvar, Kannathil Muthamittal, and many others. Here, they feel misplaced.

"Vinveli Nayakan", sung energetically by Shruti Haasan, plays at the end as Sakthivel walks through a paddy field in sunglasses and a long beard. It’s jarring and unforgivable.

And about that title... he is already called Ulaganayagan, the universal hero. That includes space, too, doesn't it? But never mind that. That is the least of the problems here.

What Thug Life needed was a team with the courage to say, gently but firmly, "This isn’t working." You need truth-tellers in the filmmaking process, not just enablers who cater to the hero's and director's inflated egos.

Why not delve into the more compelling subplots, like the dynamic between Ashok Selvan and Aishwarya Lekshmi's characters, or the emotional undercurrent between Kamal and Sanjana's? There was genuine potential for drama and poignancy in those threads.

Thug Life doesn't hold a candle to Nayakan. Despite its open references, the grandson named after Sakthivel Naicker, for instance, never comes close to capturing its soul.

The film flits between themes like mortality, guilt, revenge, and destiny, but none land with conviction. 

Nayakan drew us so completely into Sakthivel's world that we forgot it was fiction. Thug Life, on the other hand, keeps reminding us it is a poorly made film; one that was aggressively promoted, leading fans to go berserk with anticipation.

We are told Amar is like a son to Sakthivel, but it never truly feels that way. There is no warmth, no emotional grounding to their bond. The supposed chemistry just doesn't land. This is surprising, especially since both Simbu and Kamal have spoken so highly of each other in interviews and at the audio launch.

Nayakan became what it was; thanks to artistes like Janagaraj, Delhi Ganesh, Karthika, ARS, Tinnu Anand, and Kitty. Let's not forget that. Janagaraj and Delhi Ganesh didn't need guns or stylised action. Just their presence brought weight and dimension. In contrast, even the otherwise excellent Joju George (a powerhouse in Malayalam cinema) feels ordinary here.

It feels like Abhirami was cast solely to evoke memories of Annalakshmi from Virumaandi, much like Nasser's role appears to be a nostalgic nod to Nayakan.

Yes, they're there, but that logic doesn't hold. What the film truly needed were well-written characters, not token callbacks. That said, Abhirami did what she could with what was offered. The shortcomings aren’t hers.

Simbu was miscast. Swagger is not acting. He is an instinctive performer. I have interviewed him, but sometimes, great acting lies in restraint. Here, it feels too loud, too forced.

Nobody sets out to make a bad film. But you can't always see the cracks when you are too close to a project. That is why early screenings, even of rough edits, with neutral viewers, are essential. They will tell you the truth. And that truth should guide you.

Kamal Haasan's films are often visually rich, but it is hard to believe one could feel this emotionally barren and lifeless.

It is staggering to hear Kamal's character say, "No woman should step out after 5 pm without a man." Seriously?

And Kamal, the very man who once showed us that cinema is a visual medium, talks endlessly here. Scenes that should have stirred us feel painfully staged. At one point, Nasser's character says Kamal's character "serves a feast but adds a little shit in it", which unintentionally feels like a biting critique of Thug Life itself.

In a pivotal moment, Joju George's character tells Kamal's, "Your time is over." That line stings, not because it is true, but because it shouldn't be. Kamal is far too gifted an artiste to be diminished by a throwaway remark.

I want Kamal to do what he truly wants to do, not what he thinks the audience expects. He has done it before. Raja Paarvai, Apoorva Sagodharargal, Gunaa, Kuruthipunal, Hey Ram, Anbe Sivam, Uttama Villain. And we embraced those films, even if a little late.

His longevity was never about stardom. It was always about doing what only he could do. Give us Kamal Haasan. Nothing more. Nothing less. 

Kamal deserves better, because he is more than just the best.

Image: Madras Talkies