Abhirami REACTS To Kiss With Kamal Haasan In Thug Life: 'When You Watch The Scene...'

News18

28-05-2025

Last Updated:
Abhirami breaks silence on kiss scene controversy in Thug Life, calls it "unnecessary".
The trailer for Kamal Haasan's Thug Life, released on May 17, has stirred both excitement and criticism. While many were thrilled to see the iconic actor reunite with filmmaker Mani Ratnam, some viewers took issue with certain scenes—especially a romantic moment and a kiss featuring Kamal and Abhirami. In an exclusive conversation with Hindustan Times, she shared her thoughts on it.
When asked whether the reaction to the age gap between them was warranted, Abhirami said, 'See, anything is going to become a controversy these days, I don't think you can escape that at all. I'm not in a position to judge Mani sir's logic and about casting me in a certain role. Whatever his logic is, I'm agreeable with that." Kamal Haasan is 70, while she is 42.
She further added, 'And the kissing scene is a three-second kiss! The fact that only that was shown in the trailer is a little misleading. When you watch the movie and the scene and what leads up to the kiss, you won't even flinch—it sticks so well to the scene. The fact that it's being talked about this much I feel it is a little unnecessary."
Abhirami also acknowledged how the moment may have been highlighted for promotional reasons. 'The marketing people are going to do whatever is beneficial for the film. I understand that aspect as well. Any press is good press, as they say. But I would urge people to watch the film before jumping to conclusions."
She reflected on Kamal Haasan's history with such scenes, noting that bold storytelling has always been part of his cinematic language. 'I think maybe because Kamal sir has had a track record of being bold enough to venture into those spaces before. Like in Hey Ram, how beautifully he shot the intimacy between both his partners, Rani Mukherjee and Vasundhara Das. He's been a very bold storyteller, and whenever he ventures into that space, people always have something to say about it."
As for the controversy itself, she believes it says more about public perception than the content. 'It's not that no other actor or actress kisses on screen. When somebody at the top does it, people talk about it because it gives them mileage as well. As you rightly said, it's so commonplace now; I think the audience will also mature in due time."
Directed by Mani Ratnam and headlined by Kamal Haasan and Silambarasan, the film will release on June 5.
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