Mumbai, May 21
Filmmaker Mani Ratnam recently opened up about the origins of his latest project, “Thug Life,” revealing that the idea was sparked by legendary actor Kamal Haasan.
In a candid conversation with the media, Mani Ratnam explained how Kamal Haasan’s influence played a pivotal role in shaping the concept of the film, marking the beginning of the creative journey that led to “Thug Life.” During a promotional event for the film in Mumbai, when asked about how the idea of Thug Life took shape, Ratnam stated, “The first thing that came was Kamal Haasan, and then Thug Life came in. So, it started from there.”
Speaking about the scale of the production and assembling the film’s stellar team, Ratnam added, “I think the scale is designed by the story. Whatever that demands is what you go towards. And it is always a pleasure—and it always makes a director’s job easy—when you have the correct cast and crew. I’ve been lucky to have the best. So, it has been fantastic.”
Talking about his multifaceted role in the film—as actor, writer, and producer—Kamal Haasan said, “The most exciting part was working with him (Mani Ratnam). Automatically, all the other things happened.”
The actor also spoke about his first impression of Mani Ratnam. He recalled, “My first impression is that I knew him as a friend living in the same area. I didn’t even know that he belonged to a film family. He was a person, and I liked the way he spoke. We became friends, and we had a group of friends. We were talking only cinema and no gossip—and that’s where it started. All of the films you mentioned—we all know about them, including when we were doing Nayakan in, I think, near Colaba. And Ramesh Sippy Saab was shooting in Film City. So, we had some shots in Film City. We all went to see the shooting of Mr. Ramesh Sippy. Ultimately, the qualification that brought us here is that, like you, we have fans—we’re film buffs. That’s what brought us here. We’d go to any set to watch anybody work—especially those we consider talented. We’d like to watch them work. And that’s what we did.”
Discussing the musical journey behind “Thug Life,” A.R. Rahman revealed that the process involved exploring different melodic styles. He mentioned that the initial piece they worked on, which is featured in the film’s trailer, stood out particularly. Rahman also highlighted a haunting vocal element in the track—sung in an unfamiliar language—that added a distinct and captivating atmosphere to the music, something that the team truly appreciated.
The “Thug Life” team gathered for the first time in Mumbai for an exclusive media event to promote the film. The occasion featured the dynamic trio of Kamal Haasan, Mani Ratnam, and A.R. Rahman, joined by key cast members including Silambarasan TR, Trisha Krishnan, Abhirami, and Ashok Selvan, as they engaged with the media.
“Thug Life” is all set for a worldwide theatrical release on June 5, 2025.
