The excitement surrounding the gangster action drama Thug Life isn’t just because it marks the reunion of Mani Ratnam and Kamal Haasan — two of Tamil cinema’s most celebrated legends — but also because the last time they collaborated, the two created one of Indian cinema’s greatest films: Nayakan (1987). The movie’s impact on pop culture has been so immense that its iconic dialogue “Neenga nallavara kettavara? (Are you a good person or a bad person?)” continues to be widely quoted, even in real-life situations.
Recently, Kamal was posed with the same question about his character in Thug Life, whether Rangaraaya Sakthivel Naicker is a good or bad person. Without giving away much about the film, especially since the makers have been keeping most details about its plot under wraps, the legendary actor responded with an analogy that hinted at the character’s complex layers. During an event organised by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), when asked about the film, Kamal quipped that revealing anything about the movie would upset Mani Ratnam.
Watch Kamal Haasan, Mani Ratnam’s Thug Life teaser here:
When his co-star Trisha Krishnan, who was also present at the event, noted that much like Nayakan, Thug Life might also leave audiences uncertain about whether its protagonist is good or bad, Kamal agreed to the opinion, adding, “He (Rangaraaya Sakthivel Naicker) is a mix of both good and evil. What is important for mathematics: plus or minus?” His thought-provoking analogy left the audience speechless.
Also starring Silambarasan, Ashok Selvan, Aishwarya Lekshmi, Joju George, Abhirami and Nassar in key roles, Thug Life boasts music by AR Rahman, cinematography Ravi K Chandran and editing by A Sreekar Prasad. Produced jointly by Raaj Kamal Films International, Madras Talkies and Red Giant Movies, the movie will hit the screens on June 5.