So, how did Ratnam mess up “Thug Life”?
This film, which recently hit cinemas, has had fans buzzing – and not necessarily in a good way. It marks the long-awaited reunion of Ratnam and actor Kamal Haasan – their first collaboration in nearly 40 years. Expectations were, and are, sky-high.
It isn’t lacking in talent, either. “Thug Life” stars Silambarasan, Nassar, Trisha, Joju George and Aishwarya Lekshmi, among others. The premise, too, is promising, putting the legendary director in a position to deliver another generational classic.
Yet, somehow, even Ratnam has fallen victim to weak storytelling, bland and two-dimensional characters, and a painfully exaggerated hero arc – all set to an A R Rahman score that feels more annoying than inspiring.
In fact, even Rahman seems to have lost the plot here: his music, usually the emotional backbone of a Ratnam film, fails to stir anything at all.
In the film, viewers are thrown into violent underworld ruled by two brothers – Sakthivel (Kamal) and Manickam (Nassar). When one of them saves a young boy, things start to unravel.
Suspicion turns into betrayal, and an attempt on Sakthivel’s life sparks a full-blown war. What follows isn’t just revenge, but the unravelling of brotherhood and the fall of an empire they once built together.
On paper, it’s a Shakespearean setup, a perfect playground for layered characters, gut-wrenching choices, and a chance to show Kamal in a new light.
But wherever Kamal goes these days, disaster seems to follow: need we mention the utterly dreadful “Indian 2”? And “Indian 3”, which – thank goodness – has been cancelled?
Maybe the problem partly lies with Kamal himself. As the co-writer of “Thug Life”, might he have tinkered with Ratnam’s signature storytelling? Possibly. Or could it be that the director himself needs a break – a chance to reset and rediscover his love for filmmaking?
One of the most absurd moments in the film occurs when Sakthivel is shot multiple times, falls off a towering icy cliff in Kathmandu, hits several trees on the way down, and gets buried under a mountain of snow – only to crawl out moments later and walk for miles, perfectly fine, with no broken bones or spine.
Oh, and he also manages to build a fire, and uses a tree branch to take out the bullet lodged in him. Realism for the win.
Trisha, meanwhile, is completely wasted here. Ratnam is known for writing strong female characters, but in “Thug Life”, the actress is reduced to a flat, unimportant sugar baby. It’s baffling, considering her talent.
But perhaps the most frustrating thing about “Thug Life” is the path it could have taken – but didn’t.
At its heart, the film is about a young boy, Amar, and his sister, Chandra, who are separated during a shootout between the police and Sakthivel’s gang. Sakthivel adopts the boy and raises him, promising to one day reunite him with Chandra.
A classic Ratnam film would’ve centred on Amar and Chandra – their longing to find each other, the trauma of separation, and the emotional weight of their journey – with the gang wars simmering in the background.
But we only ever get anything heart-tugging at the tail end of the film – which, by then, is too little, too late. This could explain why so many moviegoers have given “Thug Life” less than stellar reviews.
At the end of the day, should you watch it? You can, but don’t go in expecting a Ratnam classic. And be forewarned: sitting through all two hours and 39 minutes of this may well turn you into a thug yourself.
As of press time, ‘Thug Life’ is screening in cinemas nationwide.