'Thug Life' review: OG gangster's comeback fails to create an impact

Two years short of its 40th anniversary, Mani Ratnam and Kamal Haasan revisit their OG gangster film Nayagan through a contemporary lens.

In a powerful voice-over, Kamal reenters our view — not as Shakthivel (Velu) Naicker from Thoothukudi, but as Rangaraya Shakthivel from Kayalpattinam. If it was Mumbai that turned Velu Naicker into a don, here it is Delhi that shapes his descent into guns, crime, and violence.

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Simbu's mass entry

While the original film was about survival, this one narrates his duel with death. In his words, he was born a Yakuza on a train to the capital city, where he builds both an empire and a family — only for both to begin crumbling under the weight of envy, suspicion, and betrayal.

In a crucial moment, he uses a young boy as 'his shield' during a police operation. “You are my kavasam, and I will reunite you with your lost sister Chandra,” he promises Amaran, who has just witnessed his father's brutal killing. From that moment, their destinies intertwine.

We then meet the now-grown Amar (Simbu), who received thunderous applause upon entry. He brutally executes the nephew of rival ganglord Sadanand (Mahesh Manjrekar) in retaliation for the suicide of Shakthivel’s niece, setting off a spiral of revenge.

Scattered references

As always in a Mani Ratnam film, funerals and rituals punctuate the narrative with homilies, promises, vows and change of guard in dynastic violence.

There are several references to Mani Ratnam's earlier films and other recent successful films: rescuing Indrani from a brothel (a nod to Neela in Nayagan), a nod to a Holi scene during a dance sequence by Simbu and wedding scenes from Alaipayuthey and Bombay in the Jinguchaa song, and many other references from other movies like Billa, Kapali, Agni Nakshatram, Chekka Chivantha Vaanam, Vivegam, and Darbar.

These cinematic callbacks make Thug Life a self-conscious film. Random references to Madhavi, Radha, Bodhi Dharma, the Simla agreement, the Mughals, and Delhi’s dynastic bloodshed, feel scattered. They needed more careful placements in the film to make them relevant.

Sexism, wokeism

The clash between sexism and wokeism is unresolved when Kamal makes contradictory remarks in the film. In one instance he says, “No woman should step out after 5 pm without a man”, and later declares, “All girls must be educated and stand on their own feet.”

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Symbolic of the transfer of power, costume shift after his rebirth at the monastery, repeated visuals of gauze and bullets linking characters, faded photos symbolizing old promises, and the red of Lal Qilla.

The convergence of past, present, and future culminates at Lal Rang Basti — a moment of reconciliation.

Weak portrayal of women

The film’s weakest link is its portrayal of women. Jeeva (Abhirami), cast as Kamal's wife, is defiant only in words. Indrani (Trisha) is merely decorative.

Chandra/Anne (Aishwarya Lekshmi) is tethered to her divorced husband. Pechiyamma (Vadivukkarasi), once powerful, is now a sidelined guardian of his mistress.

The prison interlude and steamy scenes — (that required sex managers?) — were unnecessary and added nothing to the plot. The line “Madam, I am your only Adam!” was corny when Kamal says it, but slightly more effective with Simbu.

The attempt to evoke Vinnaithaandi Varuvaayaa’s Jessie is a misstep. A tokenistic conversation on sugar babies and women being “display pieces” ridiculously mirrors the film’s own treatment of Trisha’s character.

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Ensemble gangster cast

On the positive side, the casting of gangsters is spot on. Joju George as Pathros impresses, especially in his final standoff.

Nasser as the 'insecure' Manickam, Bagavathi as the scheming Anburaj, who is a troublemaker sowing seeds of suspicion into all the others, Arjun Chidambaram as the weak minded Kahlua, and Vayyapuri as Midhun, the reluctant witness and informer, are all effective.

Mahesh Manjrekar as the villainous Sadanand and Ali Fazal as the vengeful Deepak are well-sketched, while Ashok Selvan’s Rayappa is a determined nemesis.

Hits and misses

The shifting locations — Delhi, Jaisalmer, Kathmandu, Goa — give cinematographer, Ravi K Chandran ample scope to leverage the locations to good effect, particularly the Kailash sequences of the snowy peaks.

The stunt duo Anbariv has choreographed some top-notch stunts and fight sequences, which are quite credible, unlike the staple, over-the-top one-against-300-men sequences these days. The final action sequence could have been tighter, though.

Sreekar Prasad has delivered a taut action drama with his sharp editing and keeps us engaged with his brilliant cross-cut sequences, especially those between Amar and Shakti in different locations delivering life-crushing blows.

Aravind Sundar has done a good job as the angry scream juxtaposed with the roar of the train and some realistic snow avalanche rumbling are classic sound design tactics that enhance the visual and emotion.

AR Rahman’s score is in bits and pieces and often the BGM is out of place, with the usage of sitar during an important reveal and apology scene. Anju vanna poove has a haunting resonance, potentially echoing Thenpandi seemayile for this generation.

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Good or bad

The impossible survival of an ageing gangster as opposed to the easy death of all the others while a bit of a stretch, caters to our willing suspension of disbelief

And the famous question from Nayagan—“Nallavara? Kettavara? (are you good or bad?) ”— is rephrased here: “Hero or villain?” and “Yaar neenga? (who are you?)” Perhaps it is Kamal’s reference to the ‘Subam’ after Shivaji’s death in a film.

Thug Life is a well-crafted gangster-revenge saga that emphasises bonds, betrayal and high doses of testosterone. It leaves us with a lingering feeling that Mani Ratnam and Kamal Hassan can teach many young filmmakers on creating cinematic universes that are compelling.