While 'Thug Life' marked the reunion of the actor with Mani Ratnam after 38 years, 'Indian 2' was the sequel of 1996 super hit film 'Indian'.
Published Jun 14, 2025 | 9:38 AM ⚊ Updated Jun 14, 2025 | 9:38 AM
'Thug Life' and 'Indian 2'. (X)
Kamal Haasan’s recent films, Thug Life (2025) and Indian 2 (2024), directed by veteran filmmakers Mani Ratnam and Shankar respectively, have underperformed at the box office compared to expectations.
While Thug Life marked the reunion of the actor with Mani Ratnam after 38 years, Indian 2 was the sequel of 1996 super hit film Indian.
Following the debacle of Indian 2, the future of Indian 3 which has been shot already is in the dark. Even though Shankar had said that it would be a theatrical release, there were reports that the makers are trying for a direct OTT release.
The film’s production house Lyca Productions also had reportedly come under a debt after the failure of the movie.
Meanwhile, in spite of the initial buzz, Kamal Haasan – Mani Ratnam’s Thug Life is also struggling at box office with less footfalls in theatres. In its first seven days, the movie has only managed to collect ₹42 crores worldwide according to Sacnilk. Kamal Haasan’s Raj Kamal Films International and Madras Talkies have jointly produced the movie.
Despite Kamal Haasan expressing confidence over Thug Life, the movie didn’t connect with the audience, with some even calling it the “worst movie of Mani Ratnam.”
Adding to that, the film was also embroiled in a controversy in Karnataka, with the lead actor’s statement that Kannada was born out of Tamil. Haasan also didn’t apologise for the statement even though the Karnataka High Court appealed for it. The actor said he would only apologize if he committed any mistake.
This led to the film being boycotted in the state, making a dent to it’s collections.
A still from the film ‘Thug Life’. (X)
“Mani Ratnam and Kamal Haasan are masters of filmmaking. Their work inspired our generation of filmmakers, which is why I felt disappointed after watching Thug Life,” said a young filmmaker from Kerala. “These legends once created films influenced by international cinema. But today, we access world cinema directly and can clearly recognize when our filmmakers imitate it.”
“These filmmakers relied on a tried and tested formula. Today’s audience is open to new concepts and rejects outdated ideas. If filmmakers present something fresh, the film is unlikely to fail,” he said.
When asked about the production quality of the movie, the director stated that the way Thug Life was shot could be accomplished by any filmmaker and is not a significant challenge.
Malayalam scriptwriter PS Arjun, speaking to South First, claimed that while the quality of Thug Life is top-notch, it is the script that suddenly fell apart.
“If Silambarasan had been given more presence in the second half, I believe we could have had a truly gripping emotional thriller. I had expected that from Mani Ratnam, but it ended up feeling more like a routine mass action film,” he said.
Speaking about Indian 2 and Thug Life’s failure, film critic and journalist Gayathri Krishna told South First that, “After 29 years, the old Indian character is again coming to fight for justice. We can fictionalise it from an imaginary angle, but there is a limit to it.”
Kamal Haasan in ‘Indian 2’. (X)
“Shankar believed that bringing back a character like Indian Thatha would impress people, but the audience has evolved. When the film was released in 1996, the elderly character was well-received and his actions felt believable. However, in the present scenario, seeing the same old man—now supposedly 110 years old—performing action sequences and chase scenes doesn’t appeal to everyone, as audience expectations have changed.”
In December last year, Shankar commenting on the failure of Indian 2, had said that he had tried to convey a good thought and in that way he was happy. ” ‘If the house is clean, then the nation will be clean’ is a wonderful and necessary thought. Although it is a question of how it can be practically implemented, it is still important,” he said in an interview with Vikatan magazine.
He also explained how Indian 2 had an impact on the public. “When a woman engineer from a corporation in Telangana was caught on video collecting bribes by her husband, they called it the Indian 2 effect. What we thought of is happening right? I am happy.”
According to Gayathri, Thug Life lacks the character depth typically seen in Mani Ratnam’s films. “When we usually watch a Mani Ratnam movie, his characters stay with us for a long time. But Thug Life doesn’t have any such memorable characters. Mani Ratnam is known for creating strong female characters who often outshine the male ones,” she said.
She criticised Trisha’s role, saying, “Her character feels bland, and her backstory lacks a compelling hook. It’s unclear why she’s even in the film. We don’t expect such senseless characters in a Mani Ratnam movie. The film also includes unrealistic scenes involving Kamal Haasan’s character, which made it hard to watch. It was tedious and disappointing.”
Gayathri compared it to Ratnam’s earlier work: “His previous gangster film, Chekka Chivantha Vaanam, was far better. The female characters in that film had essence and depth—something Thug Life clearly lacks. That’s why audiences are hesitant to embrace it.”
Shankar and Mani Ratnam had a long association with author and novelist Sujatha Ranganathan who had worked with both directors till his death in 2008.
A young filmmaker Selvan SP based in Chennai claimed that Shankar and Mani Ratnam greatly benefited from their association with Sujatha Ranganathan, who wrote dialogues and screenplays for their films.
Sujatha’s collaborations with these filmmakers resulted in several superhit films such as Roja, Dil Se, Kannathil Muthamittal, Aayutha Ezhuthu, with Mani Ratnam, and Indian, Mudhalvan, Boys, Anniyan, Sivaji, with Shankar.
“After Sujatha, these filmmakers struggled to find a strong scenarist. Mani Ratnam collaborated with B. Jeyamohan, but the partnership didn’t yield the same impact. Most of the dialogues and screenplays in the recent films of both Shankar and Mani Ratnam failed to connect with the new generation of audiences.” the filmmaker said.
Kamal Haasan with Mani Ratnam. (X)
“When it comes to Thug Life, the characters lack purpose or depth—they feel too flat and ordinary. There’s no detailing about the gangsters played by Kamal Haasan and Silambarasan. We expect something fresh and engaging from a Mani Ratnam film,” Selvan SP said.
He also pointed out that Thug Life was shot over a short span of time and the story was written by Kamal Haasan. “I think they should have spent more time developing the script,” the young filmmaker remarked.
Regarding Indian 2, he said, “The old character lacks detailing and ended up becoming a subject of online trolling. If the film had been strong overall, people wouldn’t have focused on the flaws in the action sequences, martial arts, or chase scenes. But Shankar treated these elements too casually and failed to deliver a compelling film.”
“Shankar still relies heavily on grand sets and spends lavishly on colourful song sequences. But these elements are only justified when the story demands them,” Selvan SP concluded.
(Edited by Sumavarsha)
