The edge-of-the-seat action is interspersed with moments of intense, raw emotions of romance, trust and betrayal, and keeps you entertained and waiting for the next big reveal, observes Divya Nair.
Master storyteller Mani Ratnam reunites with Kamal Haasan after 38 years for Thug Life.
The comeback is electrifying, just as the teaser promised fireworks.
The title 'Thug Life' has both swag and substance.
At the trailer launch in Mumbai, the director aptly described it as 'an emotional drama set in a world of crime'.
As the film opens, Kamal Haasan, 70, stands guarding a lush green field and laments: 'This is a game between death and me.'
That’s how we are introduced to Rangaraya Sakthivel.
'People call me a don, thug or yakuza (Japanese for mafia),' he describes himself while narrating his story.
In a classic move, Kamal retains the name Sakthivel, a tribute to his iconic don character from Nayakan.
Cut to 1994. Thug Life opens with a police encounter in Old Delhi orchestrated by Sadanand (Mahesh Manjrekar) and his gang.
In the tussle that ensues, Sakthivel’s older brother Manikkam (Nasser) shoots an innocent newspaper vendor.
Out of remorse, Sakthivel adopts the vendor's son Amaran (STR aka Simbu), who would later plot to kill him and take on his empire.
In the first half, the screenplay and storytelling are intense and gripping.
The edge-of-seat action interspersed with moments of intense, raw emotions of romance, trust, and betrayal, keeps you entertained and waiting for the next big reveal.
Kamal is charming both as the young and old frontrunner, but his monologues about educating the girl child and protecting his loved ones get tiring beyond a point.
Enter Simbu as Amaran and his loyal henchmen, including Kanjirappally Pathros (Joju George) whose hunger for power and revenge add a layer of simmering conflict and betrayal.
Ashok Selvan is impressive as the investigating officer, perhaps one of his most refined performances to date.
As for the controversial lip lock scene, you have to watch the movie to understand its relevance. Abhirami delivers a compelling performance as Sakthivel’s wife Jeeva.
Thug Life attempts to explore the depth of conflicting emotions against a morally uptight society, and succeeds beautifully in parts, thanks to Kamal Haasan’s versatility.
His expressive, deep eyes light up with tenderness and mischief when he sees his lover and pleads guilty when he confesses to his wife. The same eyes equally shoulder the burden of pain, hurt and devastation when his loved ones are in trouble.
AR Rahman’s music score is scintillating.
Mani Ratnam’s signature magic is missing in the second half, which drags on aimlessly, taking the film from a height of gripping drama to a meandering and unimpressive climax.
Whether you’d enjoy Thug Life really depends on how much you’d enjoy watching and re-watching Kamal Haasan defy death and emerge on the big screen.
The supporting cast is brilliant but Mani Ratnam’s narrative is skewed to give a meatier role to Kamal while others, equally talented, have to make do with lesser purpose and screen time.
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