‘Thug Life,’ Kamal Haasan and Silambarasan TR’s directed by Mani Ratnam, premiered on June 5, 2025

Thug Life Movie Storyline (Full Plot)

Set in the gritty underbelly of a sprawling urban jungle, Thug Life follows the story of Ravi, a young man from the slums who gets pulled into a life of crime out of desperation. As a child, Ravi saw his father falsely imprisoned, which planted deep mistrust in the justice system.

Growing up in poverty, Ravi joins a local gang led by the feared and respected Don Rana, becoming one of his most loyal men. He quickly rises through the ranks, known for his fearless attitude and street-smart mind.

But everything changes when Ravi falls in love with Meera, a college student with dreams of becoming a lawyer. She sees potential in Ravi and encourages him to leave the thug life behind. Torn between love and loyalty, Ravi tries to exit the gang – but leaving isn’t that easy.

When Don Rana views Ravi’s exit as betrayal, a bloody feud begins. The second half of the film is a heart-pounding chase of survival, betrayal, and the ultimate choice between revenge and redemption.

The climax? Explosive. Ravi must face Don Rana in a final showdown that decides not just his fate – but the future of his entire neighborhood.

The film reunites Kamal Haasan and Mani Ratnam after the iconic Nayakan (1987). Thug Life is produced by Kamal Haasan’s Raaj Kamal Films International and Mani Ratnam’s Madras Talkies. The movie will be distributed by Red Giant Movies.

In the trailer, Kamal Haasan and Silambarasan TR are seen sharing a special, father-son like bond. Kamal Haasan’s character thanks him for saving his life. “We both will be together till the end. Our destinies were written to be one,” he says.

Thug Life seems to be a globe-trotting gangster drama with plenty of action sequences. The trailer also shows Kamal Haasan in a de-aged avatar as well.

In an interview with Hollywood Reporter India, Kamal Haasan had revealed that Thug Life is based on his script Amar Hai. “I finished a script and it was called Amar Hai, which was a pun. A man who is believed to be dead is not dead. His name is Amar, and that’s the problem. Mani took it as an idea and went on to enhance it,” Kamal Haasan had said.

Mani Ratnam’s regular collaborator A R Rahman has composed the music for the movie while Ravi K Chandran is the cinematographer. Sreekar Prasad has done the editing.

Thug Life hits the screens worldwide on June 05, 2025. The movie’s first single, Jingucha, with lyrics from Kamal Haasan, has generated the right amount of buzz for the movie.

The movie also stars Trisha Krishnan, Ashok Selvan, Sanya Malhotra, Abhirami, Nasser, Aishwarya Lekshmi and Joju George. The film’s action choreography is done by Anbariv masters. The film will be dubbed in Telugu, Hindi, Kannada and Malayalam.