Latest news with #ManiRatnam
Time of India
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
13th South Indian International Movie Awards dates out, to be held in Dubai
The 13th edition of the South Indian International Movie Awards (SIIMA) is finally out. The grand award ceremony for the South Indian film industry will be taking place in Dubai. The 13th edition of the South Indian International Movie Awards (SIIMA) is finally out. The grand award ceremony for the South Indian film industry will be taking place in Dubai. The 13th edition of SIIMA will be held on September 5 and 6 in Dubai. Taking to her Instagram handle, SIIMA Chairperson Brinda Prasad shared a poster announcing the return of the award ceremony to Dubai. She also revealed the dates of the event. "The biggest celebration of South Indian Cinema is back! Dubai | 5th & 6th September. Get ready for SIIMA's 13th edition, where stars shine the brightest!" wrote SIIMA. As per the official website of SIIMA, the South Indian Awards is one of the popular award shows in South India with the highest TV Viewership across all 5 South Indian States and also has the highest social media reach of over 1.5 billion Digital Impressions every year. The organisers have not released the list of nominations of the films yet. Last year, actress Aishwarya Rai Bachchan was crowned as the Best Actress (Critics) for her performance in MRatnam's film 'Ponniyin Selvan 2'. She was accompanied by her daughter Aaradhya during her winning moment. Kabir Khan presented the award to Aishwarya at the SIIMA 2024. In her acceptance speech, she said, "Thank you so very much, SIIMA, for honouring me with the award. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Become an American citizen - Apply for a Green card americ24 Undo It means the world to me because this was a movie so close to my heart, Ponniyin Selvan, directed by my guru, Mani Ratnam. And honouring my work for the best actress as Nandini in Ponniyin Selvan is celebrating the work of the entire team." Aishwarya's co-star Chiyaan Vikram also took home the Best Actor (Tamil) award at SIIMA 2024. Ponniyin Selvan 2, directed by Mani Ratnam, is the sequel to the 2022 film. Actor Kamal Haasan lent his voice to the film's narration. Oscar-winning music composer AR Rahman has composed the music for the film.
Time of India
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Ali Fazal faces backlash for 'Thug Life', says he accepted role out of love for Mani Ratnam's vision
Ali Fazal debuted in Tamil cinema with Mani Ratnam's 'Thug Life', starring Kamal Haasan. Despite the film's poor box office performance and controversy over Haasan's Kannada remarks, Ali faced criticism for his small role. He accepted it out of admiration for Mani Ratnam and hopes to collaborate again in the future. 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 Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Buy Resmed AirSense 11 with flat 20% off ResMed Buy Now Undo 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.
Indian Express
17-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
‘Bollywood run by businessmen, no good music coming from there': Bombay musician on working with AR Rahman and Mani Ratnam, calls Tamil cinema ‘more professional'
Drummer and composer Ranjit Barot, who has worked extensively with AR Rahman, recently spoke about the Hindi film industry and how it is ruled by businessmen who don't respect musicians. He also reflected on his first collaboration with Rahman for Mani Ratnam's cult film Bombay. Speaking to O2India, Ranjit shared that he and Rahman were 'friends before becoming colleagues', and during their first collaboration for the song 'Humma Humma' from Bombay, the two simply talked for hours. He said, 'Rahman played the track and I knew the potential the song had. Then we went on discussing life and how he converted to Islam and embraced the faith. He told me about his childhood. We became friends before we became colleagues, and I think we still maintain that.' Ranjit admitted that despite Rahman's introverted nature, they became close friends. Ranjit shared that while many filmmakers want to control musicians and how they work, Mani Ratnam was the exact opposite. He recalled Mani Ratnam catching him and Rahman just talking during the first day of Humma Humma, but the filmmaker didn't interfere and left them to their own devices. He said, 'So Mani Ratnam ji came, he saw that we were busy chatting with each other on the first day and it was only the second day when I started working on this song.' When asked if Mani Ratnam was upset to see them chatting, he said, 'Mani ji has a supreme mind. He knows happy people make happy music. He was very sweet. He just left us alone and went home.' Ranjit, who has worked with legendary composers like RD Burman and Laxmikant-Pyarelal in the early days of his career, admitted that he no longer works with the Hindi film industry. Sharing his reasons, he said, 'Chennai is far more professional than Mumbai. The respect for musicians is a lot more in Chennai. Mumbai film industry is run by businessmen, who have no respect for musicians. I had worked with Laxmikant Pyarelal and RD Burman; producers in the 80s would be very respectful. Today, the producers feel like if they give you money, they own you. I don't have any.' Ranjit also blamed producers' attitudes for music having no shelf life in the Hindi film industry. He said, 'Music now only makes sense for the film and the star in it. I don't remember any good music coming from Mumbai. It's also producer and directors meddling with composers.' He added, 'The output is one big Punjabi wedding. That's what we have here in Bombay. All songs are one big dance number.'
News18
16-07-2025
- Entertainment
- News18
Kamal Haasan Meets Friend Rajinikanth Ahead Of His Rajya Sabha Oath Ceremony
Last Updated: Kamal Haasan was last seen in Thug Life. Helmed by the renowned director Mani Ratnam, the film did an overall business of Rs 48 crore Veteran actor and politician Kamal Haasan reunited with his longtime friend and fellow superstar Rajinikanth ahead of his official Rajya Sabha oath-taking ceremony. The photos of the meeting of the two legends quickly captured fans' attention across social media platforms. Taking to his X handle, Kamal Haasan shared photos with Rajinikanth and also wrote a note for him. In no time, it went viral, and fans were seen commenting. One of the fans wrote, 'It's always heartening to see your friendship. There won't be another duo like u two, fierce competitors….BTW, MP post is an honor, but your contributions to cinema are priceless. Congratulations, Kamal Sir…" Another fan wrote, 'True friends…happy to c u both in a frame…kamal sir congratulations. Voice out in the parliament on behalf of our state…i am very sure u will definitely going to rock." Take a look here: புதிய பயணத்தை நண்பர் @rajinikanth உடன் பகிர்ந்தேன். மகிழ்ந்தேன். — Kamal Haasan (@ikamalhaasan) July 16, 2025 In June, Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) President and famed actor Kamal Haasan filed nomination papers to contest for the biennial polls to Rajya Sabha from Tamil Nadu which are scheduled for June 19. Haasan signed and presented the papers to officials at the State Secretariat in Chennai in the presence of Chief Minister MK Stalin, Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin, and senior leaders from his party. He will take oath as a member of Rajya Sabha on July 25. The actor was elected unopposed as a Rajya Sabha member after a DMK-led alliance in June. 'We are pleased to inform you that Kamal Haasan will take the oath of office and assume his duties in Parliament on July 25," said a release from MNM headquarters. Kamal Haasan was last seen in Thug Life. Helmed by the renowned director Mani Ratnam, the film did an overall business of Rs 48 crore across all languages in India, as per Following a disappointing run at the theatres, the film has now arrived on the digital platform, and fans can watch it from the comfort of their home. The film is now streaming on the OTT giant Netflix in Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Malayalam languages. Sharing a poster of the film on Instagram, the streamer wrote in the caption, 'It is a battle between Death and Rangaraya Sakthivel, want to see who wins the game? Watch Thug Life, now on Netflix in Tamil, Hindi, Telugu, Kannada and Malayalam." The film, released on June 5, marks the reunion of Mani Ratnam and Kamal Haasan nearly four decades after their 1987 collaboration, Nayakan. Co-written by Kamal Haasan and Mani Ratnam, the film also features an ensemble cast including Trisha Krishnan, Ashok Selvan, Joju George, Nasser, Abhirami and Aishwarya Lekshmi in pivotal roles. Music maestro A.R. Rahman has composed the music of the film. view comments First Published: July 16, 2025, 13:48 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Indian Express
12-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
Thug Life: They murdered the wrong character at the end of Kamal Haasan and Mani Ratnam's ghastly gangster drama; why in the world did they do that?
A regular reappraisal of old masters should be made standard practice in all art. Just because someone made a good movie once doesn't mean that they should be given immunity from bad reviews for the rest of their lives. Sure, making Piku and October and Gulabo Sitabo and Sardar Udham (in a row!) allows you one I Want to Talk, but that's all. It is only when certain sacred cows are nudged out of (self) harm's way that they can introspect. Had somebody somebody pointed out the obvious to Sanjay Leela Bhansali years ago, we wouldn't have had to endure Heeramandi. Had someone criticised Nayakan for what it is — a blatant act of plagiarism — we wouldn't have had to witness director Mani Ratnam and star Kamal Haasan doing it all over again in Thug Life. The gangster drama was released on Netflix merely four weeks after it flopped in theaters. Thug Life debuted to intense scrutiny, seeing as it marked the filmmaker and actor's first collaboration in nearly four decades. During those years, the two rose to the pinnacle of Indian cinema, having earned not just a reputation for making hits, but also a certain respect that eludes most of their colleagues. Mani Ratnam is the thinking man's blockbuster director; Kamal Haasan is the thinking man's movie star. And yet, the best that they could come up with is yet another tired reimagining of Francis Ford Coppola's The Godfather, injected with a toxic dose of Prashanth Neel. Also read – Ponniyin Selvan I: Mani Ratnam's magnum opus is a crash course in how to overcomplicate a straightforward story You'd think that Ram Gopal Varma was the Indian filmmaker most in need of an intervention for the Godfather obsession; he can narrate Sonny Corleone's introduction in the book from memory. But no, Ramu is doing just fine in his corner. It's Ratnam that needs a talking to. Thug Life takes several plot beats from The Godfather trilogy, misunderstands their meaning, and presents to us a pulverised version that retains neither the humanity of the original nor the fresh perspective of a remake. More egregiously, the movie aims for a similar poignancy in its climax, but makes the baffling choice to kill the wrong character. Thug Life features Kamal Haasan as Sakhtivel, a hardened mob boss who operates out of New Delhi. His greatest rival is played by Mahesh Manjrekar. Sakhtivel communicates with his troops in Tamil, which leads you to assume that he's a migrant. Manjrekar's character, on the other hand, is supposed to be a Delhi-based don. What criminally poor casting. Chances are, if you were to google the words 'Marathi manus' right at this moment, a picture of Mahesh Manjrekar would pop up within the first scroll. Could they have found a less appropriate actor to play an NCR gangster? Probably not. But this is among Thug Life's least annoying missteps. Remember, this is the film for which two-time Academy Award winner AR Rahman composed the song 'Sugar Baby.' In Thug Life, Sakhtivel is ambushed by his rival, leaving him battling for his life. He suspects his adopted son of having sold him out. This man, Amaran, is like a combination of Tom Hagen and Paulie, at least for this one section of the film. Later, he becomes a sort of stand-in for Michael Corleone, and even Andy Garcia's character from the third Godfather movie. Ratnam is an equal opportunity pillager here. Meanwhile the woman that Sakhtivel cheats on his wife with — she's played by Trisha Krishnan — dies in a blast orchestrated by the villains. His good-for-nothing brother, played by Nassar, is banished to oversee his casino business, like Fredo. Ratnam even finds an excuse for an extended wedding scene, where Sanya Malhotra shows up to shake a leg like Johnny Fontaine; except, her entire track seems to have been cut. Thug Life builds towards a grand clash in the climax, where Sakthivel seemingly returns from the dead to battle his protege. As Darth Vader says to Obi-Wan Kenobi at the end of Star Wars, 'When I left you, I was but the learner. Now I am the master.' In a sense, Thug Life follows the same model, adhering to tropes that have been rehashed innumerable times over the decades. There's only one logical conclusion to this saga: The ageing Sakthivel must clear his name and convince Amaran that he truly didn't wish him any harm; Amaran must recognise the mistake he made in challenging his guru, and he must live with the eternal guilt of killing him in combat. The cycle of violence continues; Amaran lives on, haunted, while Sakthivel is redeemed for all the sins he has committed over the years. It would've been the most obvious ending, but effective, nonetheless. Except, Ratnam and Haasan choose to kill Amaran instead, and not even by Sakthivel's hand. Ali Fazal's character pops out of nowhere and shoots him dead. Nobody cares about this guy; why was he given this responsibility at all? It sucks the air out of an already deflated movie. Sakthivel survives, and seemingly retires from a life of crime. Since he wasn't the one who was forced to kill his adopted son, he suffers no guilt. He just… exists. If anything, he seems to miss murder and mayhem. At least, this is what the movie seems to imply when it has Sakhtivel slip on his gangster glasses in the middle of a field. There's is no discernible reason for Amaran to have been killed in his place, unless you count causing trauma to his long-lost sister as probable cause. It's a truly puzzling creative choice that feels completely at home in a truly puzzling film. But the Indian film industry is a funny place. Only in our country can a movie like Nayakan be considered one of the GOATs. It should ideally be disqualified from any such discussion on plagiarism grounds alone. Forget being sued, or worse, shunned — plagiarism is the worst crime that a creative person can commit — Ratnam and Haasan have spent the last three-and-a-half decades basking in that film's success. This is the only reason why they've felt empowered to pull the same trick again. And while Thug Life has been criticised for several reasons, its kleptomania has seemingly been forgiven. Is this because of Indian cinema's long history of taking 'inspiration' from international films? Has this practice been so normalised that it doesn't even raise an eyebrow anymore? Also read – MobLand review: Tom Hardy grunts his way through Guy Ritchie's soapy homage to The Godfather It's worth investigating, isn't it? Because there's only a fine line separating thievery from tribute. Ramu made Sarkar, but his brash acknowledgement of its unoriginality shouldn't excuse him from a rap on the knuckles. Some years ago, Mahesh Narayanan directed Malik, the rare Indian Godfather rip-off that stands on its own two feet. It aped the original not in plot, but in tone and texture. And that's really the best way that a filmmaker can respectfully honour a movie they love. The reason why Thug Life doesn't have even a fraction of The Godfather's emotional heft, even though it's so indebted to that film, is because it is clueless about one hard fact: The Godfather isn't a gangster movie, it's a family tragedy. By allowing Sakhtivel to survive, the movie is shamelessly holding out out hope for a sequel, and, in doing so, disrespecting the story it's telling. Post Credits Scene is a column in which we dissect new releases every week, with particular focus on context, craft, and characters. Because there's always something to fixate about once the dust has settled. Rohan Naahar is an assistant editor at Indian Express online. He covers pop-culture across formats and mediums. He is a 'Rotten Tomatoes-approved' critic and a member of the Film Critics Guild of India. He previously worked with the Hindustan Times, where he wrote hundreds of film and television reviews, produced videos, and interviewed the biggest names in Indian and international cinema. At the Express, he writes a column titled Post Credits Scene, and has hosted a podcast called Movie Police. You can find him on X at @RohanNaahar, and write to him at He is also on LinkedIn and Instagram. ... Read More
