‘Thug Life': Kamal Haasan-Mani Ratnam film drops on OTT after 28-day theatrical run
Produced by Kamal Haasan's Raaj Kamal Films International and Mani Ratnam's Madras Talkies, Thug Life is currently streaming on Netflix. The Tamil film also stars Silambarasan T R, Nasser, Trisha, Joju George and Ashok Selvan.
Thug Life opened to negative reviews from critics. Fans were disappointed that the Kamal Haasan-Mani Ratnam combinaion couldn't recreate the magic of Nayakan (1987), the first collaboration between the two artists. The movie is about an ageing gangster who has to protect his family when a power struggle tears through his clan, and enemies return seeking vengeance.
The Hindu review of the film said, 'It doesn't help that the film fails to add more to its archaic fight-for-the-throne conflict at the centre of the film. Subplots and layers seem added purely for convenience, like a character that returns in the climax to serve a meagre purpose.
You also feel bad for Silambarasan since Amar never comes into his own or grows beyond what the plot requires him to do. A lion's share of the screen space is given to Kamal, and the veteran aces his role as an ageing man fighting the God of Death — be it in the more tender moments like the aforementioned scene with Abhirami, or the many face-offs he has on rooftops and cliffs. But is he really feeling the weight of his actions or questioning his morality as the Sakthivel Naicker we once knew? The verdict is still out.'
Thug Life missed its release in Karnataka due to a controversy. During a promotional event, Kamal Haasan said that 'Kannada language is born from Tamil', leading to widespread opposition in the State.
ALSO READ:'Thug Life' release in Karnataka: Unending 'litany of hurt sentiments' cannot choke free speech in films, says Supreme Court
The Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce (KFCC) expressed its non-cooperation with the film until an apology from the actor. The makers of Thug Life moved court for a smooth release of the movie. Despite a favourable response from the Supreme Court, Thug Life had no takers in Karnataka as it failed to meet expectations at the box office.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Film on Kittel: Techie's cinematic tribute to author of first Kannada-English dictionary
Bengaluru: Long before modern digital tools and standardised linguistic references, a remarkable milestone in the history of the Kannada language was quietly achieved in the late 19th century. Perhaps no other Dravidian languages found a lexicographer then, but in Kannada, a comprehensive Kannada-English dictionary was published way back in 1894 by German missionary Ferdinand Kittel, paving the way for future studies in Kannada linguistics. While Kittel and his works have taken a backseat over the last 130 years, a Mysuru-based techie-turned-filmmaker, Prashant Pandit, has brought back the memories of Kittel in his latest non-fiction and period film, The Word and the Teacher (Das Wort und Der Lehrer), recollecting the life and works of Kittel both in Germany and Karnataka. The film will be screened at Bangalore International Centre (BIC), Domlur, from 11am to 1pm on July 27. Indian languages always fascinated Pandit, who worked at Hewlett-Packard (HP). His interest in the evolution of languages and scripts made him dive deep into the linguistic world, and that was when he came across Kittel's work. "From being an outsider to the language to publishing the first comprehensive dictionary comprising prominent dialects, Kittel did remarkable work in Kannada. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like No annual fees for life UnionBank Credit Card Apply Now Undo Now it is a lot easier to pick up any language. But in the 1870s, barring some level of conversational Kannada, it was humanly impossible for an outsider to master the language and bring out a dictionary of 70,000 words! I was curious to know how Kittel learnt Kannada so clearly and took up the project," Pandit recollected his journey, which started in 2020. You Can Also Check: Bengaluru AQI | Weather in Bengaluru | Bank Holidays in Bengaluru | Public Holidays in Bengaluru Planning to make a 15–20-minute film on Kittel initially, Pandit began scouting for details from Mangaluru, Madikeri, Dharwad, Ooty, and Germany. But his extensive research during the Covid-19 pandemic opened several unexpected details about Kittel's life, works, and contributions to Kannada language and literature. "Then I was convinced that a short film format would not do justice to the man who devoted his entire life to Kannada, and decided to produce a full feature-length film, tracing his journey from Resterhafe on the northwestern coast of Germany to Canara (Karnataka), along with a few of my friends who helped me with the film. " The 80-minute, tri-lingual period film, shot in various locations where Kittel lived and worked both in south India and Germany, has adopted the first-person narration technique. "Documentaries usually have anecdotal references, interviews, or soundbites along with visuals. But our film does not feature any of these, and Kittel himself narrates his life and works based on his own letters to his kids and superiors throughout the film. I wanted it to be realistic, authentic, and there should not be any room for fictional fantasies. We have included archival photographs from the 19th century, folk songs, and poems penned and translated by Kittel," Pandit explained. Being a developer, Pandit, during his research visits to Mangaluru and other places, discovered that Kittel used unique fonts in all the typefaces of Kannada. "All of these were designed and cast in Europe and brought to India. Aesthetically, they were eye-catching and pleasing for readers. Then it struck me, what if we develop the same into modern-day digital fonts as part of Indic computing. Subsequently, I brought out these unique digital fonts based on Kittel's typefaces and named it 'Karnataka F Kittel font' after him. This Unicode font is free of charge and available on the open-source platform," Pandit explained. "Barring a few write-ups and a few doctoral theses, there are not many details available about his work and life here. Out of his 71 years, Kittel spent about 40-45 years in Karnataka. After his missionary work, when Kittel was sent back, the Britishers recalled him. In fact, his dictionary was the first-ever crowd-funded project as it was funded by the Mysore kings, British officers, and other philanthropists. From the day he landed in Karnataka till the publication, he literally noted down every word in multiple dialects of south, north, and coastal Karnataka. Some of the words even have descriptions spanning 2-3 pages!" Pandit said.
Pink Villa
2 hours ago
- Pink Villa
Sushmita Sen's ex-boyfriend Rohman Shawl admits he can't afford the diamond she likes: 'Abhi meri aukaat nahi...'
Sushmita Sen and Rohman Shawl dated for a few years, but their romantic chapter came to an end in 2021. However, despite their relationship taking a backseat, the two never shied away from sharing a cordial and friendly bond. Even after their breakup, they remain good friends and express warmth for each other. Recently, Rohman admitted that he couldn't afford the diamond that Sushmita likes. Yes, you read that right! Rohman Shawl's recent confession about Sushmita Sen's taste in diamonds In a recent interaction with Instant Bollywood, Rohman Shawl accepted that he doesn't have the budget to gift diamonds to Sushmita Sen. When asked if he has ever gifted diamonds to the actress or vice versa, he remarked, "Jis hisaab ka unko diamond pasand hai, abhi meri aukaat nahi itna bada kharidne ki. Toh jis din uss layak banunga, inshallah zaroor." "(The kind of diamond she likes, I don't have that much capability to buy such a big diamond right now. So the day I become capable of that, I will definitely buy it for her)." Further, he was quizzed about what kind of diamond she is really fond of. Replying to the same, he said, "Unka ek pasandida diamond hai, woh 22 carats ka hai. Toh woh kamane ke liye bahut waqt hai, but inshallah jaldi (She has a favorite diamond, it is 22 carats. So there is much time to earn it, but Inshallah soon)." About Sushmita Sen and Rohman Shawl's relationship and their separation Rohman Shawl and Sushmita Sen began dating in 2018 and got separated in 2021. The Main Hoon Na actress shared a photo on her Instagram profile that featured Rohman. The caption of the post read, "We began as friends, we remain friends!! The relationship was long over…the love remains." Their post-breakup rapport has sparked reunion buzz. Sushmita and Rohman have been spotted together at various occasions, including red carpet events. For the unversed, Rohman Shawl marked his acting debut with the recently released Tamil film, Amaran. Stay tuned to Pinkvilla for more such updates!
Time of India
3 hours ago
- Time of India
I&B panel OKs 'Udaipur Files', but no SC nod yet
Udaipur Files NEW DELHI: The I&B ministry's special committee on Monday cleared the release of the film 'Udaipur Files: Kanhaiya Lal Tailor Murder' with a new disclaimer, replacing the name 'Nutan Sharma' (representing Nupur Sharma in true story) and the line 'maine toh wohi kaha hai jo unke dharm grantho mein likha hai (I said what is written in their religious books)". But the film, whose screening was objected to by Maulana Arshad Madani and the main accused Mohd Javed who beheaded the tailor at Udaipur for sharing a controversial post by Nupur Sharma on the Prophet's marriage, would not be released in theatres as a Supreme Court bench of Justices Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi asked the petitioners to file their objections to the committee's Monday order. The bench posted the matter for hearing on Thursday.
