Ali Fazal faces backlash for 'Thug Life', says he accepted role out of love for Mani Ratnam's vision
Ali Fazal
marked his entry into Tamil cinema by featuring in
Mani Ratnam
's 'Thug Life', a film led by
Kamal Haasan
. Despite the high-profile cast, the movie struggled at the box office. In a recent conversation, Ali opened up about the criticism he received for his role in the project.
Reason Behind Accepting the Role
Talking to The Hollywood Reporter India, Ali discussed the criticism he faced for taking on a very small role in 'Thug Life'. He mentioned that he has not watched the film and explained that many people questioned his decision to be part of it. Ali said his choice was driven by his admiration for Mani Ratnam's vision. Although the movie did not perform well at the box office, he received messages from friends and fans wondering why he accepted the role.
To them, he responded by saying it's okay.
Positive Experience Despite Criticism
The actor described his experience working on the film as very positive, mentioning that Mani and Kamal made him feel warmly welcomed. He acknowledged that he is aware of which scenes were included and which were left out, but he respects Ratnam's overall vision and understands the story underwent many changes during production. Ali considers the matter settled and has expressed a strong desire to work with Mani again in the future.
by Taboola
by Taboola
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Film Release and Controversy
Released on June 5, 'Thug Life' is a Tamil gangster drama that brought Kamal Haasan and director Mani Ratnam back together after their iconic 1987 film 'Nayakan'. However, the movie stirred controversy following Haasan's comments about the Kannada language, which led to its ban in Karnataka. The film struggled to live up to the legacy of 'Nayakan' and ultimately saw poor performance at the box office.
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