Jun 05, 2025 02:52 PM IST

#Kamal Haasan’s much-hyped thriller Thug Life has lastly hit theatres — however early reactions are unanimously unfavourable; have a look 

Fresh from the audio launch controversy that sparked outrage throughout #Karnataka, Thug Life, the much-anticipated gangster drama directed by #Mani Ratnam, has lastly landed in cinemas. Co-written by #Kamal Haasan himself, the movie marks an enormous collaboration between two titans of #Tamil cinema — however early reactions counsel that the cinematic reunion hasn’t fairly lived as much as its towering expectations.

Thug Life First Reviews

About Thug Life

Set in opposition to a gritty backdrop, Thug Life tells the story of mafia kingpin Sakthivel (#Kamal Haasan) and his brother Manickam, who rescue a younger boy named Amaran throughout a police shootout. As the boy grows into a person below their tutelage, the household is shattered by an tried assassination, main Sakthivel on a violent quest for vengeance — a journey that threatens to destroy the very basis of his makeshift household.

With an ensemble solid that includes Trisha Krishnan, #Silambarasan TR #Joju George, #Ali Fazal, #Rohit Saraf and extra, the movie is styled as a sprawling gangster saga that makes an attempt to mix household drama, with stylised violence.

The buzz…or lack thereof

For a movie this hyped, Thug Life has acquired a surprisingly low response from each critics and audiences. #Social media, significantly #Reddit and X, is flooded with opinions — most of them removed from flattering. “How is this the best Mani and Kamal could come up with? Like this script brought them back together?” wrote one disenchanted viewer. Another chimed in, “First half is predictable coz of trailer,” whereas somebody replied, “#Joju George and #Ali Fazal are completely wasted. Trisha doesn’t even bother to lip-sync through most of her portions.” Even the movie’s try at worldwide aptitude raised eyebrows. “I don’t understand why they even used the word Yakuza in the film, it feels totally irrelevant, except for the fact that KH plays a gangster. #Mani Ratnam seems to have no clue why he even made the second half,” remarked one other consumer.

While the cinematography and a few performances — particularly from #Silambarasan TR — have earned reward, different facets, just like the music and pacing, didn’t impress. “Just got done. Cinematography was nice. Not an STR fan, but he did well. BGM wasn’t great. All this Dhee vs Chinmayi for the song to not even be in the movie. Skip if you aren’t a Kamal/Mani sir fan. Actually, pls do skip if you’re a fan of theirs. 2/5 and that’s me being hella generous,” one pissed off consumer wrote. The second half of the film has come below significantly harsh criticism. “Post-interval 30 minutes enraged me. Extremely convenient plot points for the main protagonist, almost laughable tbh. Sigh.” Another assessment echoed, “So much potential in the first half totally destroyed in the second half. Odd BGM choices also hindered the experience. A Mani sir movie without an emotional connect is truly rare.”

Whether Haasan’s language feedback controversy finally boosts or hurts the movie’s field workplace run stays to be seen. But one factor is obvious: Thug Life has landed with a bang — simply not the one its creators might need hoped for.

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