How Kamal Haasan's Thug Life failed its women: Trisha, Abhirami, Aishwarya Lekshmi
While Divya from the 1986 film 'Mouna Ragam' was a young woman dealing with an arranged marriage and a traumatic past, Shaila Banu in the 1995 film 'Bombay' was a strong-willed mother of twin boys navigating their displacement during communal riots. In the 1987 film 'Nayakan', Meera was a woman rescued by Sakthivel from a brothel. Shakthi from 'Alaipayuthey', Roja from 'Roja', Moina from 'Dil Se', Sujata Desai from 'Guru', Tara Kalingarayar from 'Oh Kadhal Kanmani' and Leela Abraham from 'Kaatru Veliyidai' - all these are strong-willed, powerful representation of women who have an agency and identity.This is where 'Thug Life' felt like a major letdown, especially for Mani Ratnam's fans. There are three important women characters in the film, played by Abhirami, Trisha Krishnan and Aishwarya Lekshmi.advertisementSpoiler alert...Abhirami played the role of Jeeva, wife of Kamal Haasan's Rangaraya Sakthivel, a role that becomes the centre of the universe for the protagonist in the second half. Abhirami is shown as a strong-willed woman who stands by her gangster-husband through shoot-outs, police encounters and prison days.In a scene, Sakthivel gets released from prison after two long years. But, he goes straight to Indrani's (Trisha Krishnan) house to spend a week with her, before getting back to Jeeva. When Jeeva questions him, Sakthivel justifies the act of infidelity by calling it a disorder. He also says that even though he seeks Indrani, his heart lies with her. Sadly enough, Jeeva forgives him. While there are women like Jeeva in this world, it is a gross injustice to reduce Abhirami's character just to this - a second fiddle in her own husband's life, and someone who is not protesting enough either - a weak, subdued role, quite anti-Ratnam. In the second half, her character is used as a pawn to evoke emotional attachment to the Sakthivel. Jeeva then loses her memory in an accident and forgets Sakthivel. But after Sakthivel's transformation, he suddenly turns faithful and takes care of her - a trope that simply shows how Jeeva is simply at the mercy of her husband. Abhirami's character needed a much more rounded arc to add more gravitas to the story.
Trisha Krishnan's Indrani in 'Thug Life'
Indrani, while a complex character, is much like 'Nayakan's' Meera. She is also rescued from a job that requires her to please men. While Indrani had a lot of scope, she is tossed between two men, Sakthivel and Silambarasan's Amar. She is rescued by Sakthivel, becomes his paramour and then Amar's - another woman at the mercy of a man who looks at her at best as a romantic relief. If you take away Indrani's character from 'Thug Life', there would be no change to the story. Indrani could have been much more. That's what was projected in the pre-release interviews and in the trailer too. None of it could come face-to-face in the film, though.The only character that got a decent arc is Aishwarya Lekshmi's Chandra. She has an introduction, a twist and a proper closure as well. But enough for a Mani Ratnam film? Absolutely not. Her character, who has all the parameters to be the emotional anchor of 'Thug Life' gets re-introduced half-way, goes missing, only to have her closure in the climax. The film, which could have easily been about Sakthivel's promise to Amar involving Chandra, eventually making it an emotional gangster story that Mani Ratnam promised - ends up being a combination of too many wrongs.
Aishwarya Lekshmi and Mani Ratnam on 'Thug Life' sets. (Photo credit: Instagram/aishu_)
advertisementToo many subplots and more emphasis on men paved the way (or the lack of it) for these women to get buried in chaos. On and off the screen.'Thug Life' truly failed its women. Mani Ratnam built his reputation on crafting women who were complete individuals - complex, driven, and essential to their stories. 'Thug Life' represents a disappointing departure from this legacy, while we sincerely hope it will only be a wrong turn.The film reduces three talented women to tired tropes: the forgiving wife, the object of desire, and the underutilised emotional anchor. For a filmmaker who gifted fans memorable women characters, 'Thug Life' feels like a massive step backward - a betrayal of his legacy and his audience's expectations.Trending Reel
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