Latest news with #Simbu
Malay Mail
a day ago
- Business
- Malay Mail
Indian cinema icon Kamal Haasan says co-star Simbu set for greater heights after first collaboration in ‘Thug Life'
KUALA LUMPUR, June 1 — Prominent South Indian actor Kamal Haasan is confident that his co-star Silambarasan — better known as Simbu or STR — is poised for greater prospects after his stellar performance in their upcoming Tamil film, Thug Life. The Nayakan star said his production house, Raaj Kamal Films International, had already signed Simbu for a film but postponed the production to make way for him to join Thug Life. 'Since it was a pivotal role, we could not just let anyone helm it. 'Three people thought of casting Simbu: the director Mani Ratnam, I, and our business partners. Other industry people also agreed that Simbu was a fantastic choice for the role. 'From my experience, actors who land pivotal roles like this are headed towards becoming bigger stars. And, STR has got that opportunity,' he told Malaysian reporters during a press conference at Shangri-La Kuala Lumpur, here, yesterday. Thug Life marks the sweet reunion of Kamal and Mani — the two towering figures in modern Tamil cinema — after 38 years since the release of their 1987 cult classic gangster film Nayakan. Kamal Haasan waves at hundreds of Malaysian fans during a meet-and-greet session to promote his upcoming film 'Thug Life at MyTown shopping centre yesterday. — Picture by Sayuti Zanudin Their second collaboration is also set to showcase a high-octane gangster showdown, which sees Kamal and Simbu wrestling for power to rule a lawless criminal underworld. Thug Life is slated for theatrical release on June 5 by DMY Creation. Kamal and Simbu are also sharing the screen for the first time in Thug Life. Kamal said the film was named Thug Life — a term popularised by American rapper Tupac Shakur — to resonate with the Gen Z audience and with the overall plot about the life of thugs. Since Thug Life came about after Mani refined a script originally penned by Kamal many years ago, his fans are harbouring high hopes to see his unrealised projects, such as Marudhanayagam to finally arrive on the silver screens. Kamal also expressed the same optimism. 'So far, we have only shot for 30 minutes. Even if you go by American movie standards, we need to shoot for at least another one and a half hours, or even two hours, since Marudhanayagam is a long film. 'But, I think the factors required for us to revive the project are coming together,' he said. Leading Tamil actress Trisha Krishnan thanked her Malaysian well-wishers and asked them not to miss the Thug Life premiere on June 5. — Picture by Sayuti Zainudin. Later, at around 7pm, hundreds of eager fans cheered on as Kamal and leading Tamil actress Trisha Krishnan — the female lead in Thug Life — attended a meet and greet session organised by the film's Malaysian distributor DMY Creations at MyTown Shopping Centre. Recollecting his first visit to Malaysia at the age of 21, Kamal said the overwhelming love from his Malaysian fans inspired him to continue scaling greater heights. 'Even if you didn't like one or two of my films, I trust that Thug Life will compensate for that,' he said. Meanwhile, Trisha thanked her well-wishers in Malaysia, describing their love towards Indian actors and cinema as 'so pure.' 'I hope you all like the role I've done (in Thug Life) because it is a very different role. 'So, please watch it with an open-mind,' she said, welcoming fans to share their feedbacks on her performance via social media. While the letdown was visible among Simbu fans who eagerly waited to see him at the event, the fanfare continued as fans copied his peppy dance moves while grooving to his iconic hit songs. DMY Creation is a major film distribution company in Malaysia, particularly known for distributing Hindi and Tamil films. The company, founded by Datuk Mohamed Yusoff, is also involved in bridging cultures through entertainment, fostering connections between Malaysian and Indian film industries.
Hindustan Times
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
Abhirami shares insights on Thug Life co-stars Trisha and Simbu, common interests and more
The cast of Thug Life has been on whirlwind promotions over the last ten days, travelling across India. Now, they are all set to travel to Malaysia and Dubai as well to promote their film, which is all set to release worldwide on June 5. Helmed by Mani Ratnam and with music by AR Rahman, the movie stars Kamal Haasan along with Simbu, Trisha, Abhirami, Ashok Selvan, Sanya Malhotra, Ali Fazal, Joju George and others. When Hindustan Times got talking to Abhirami about working with Simbu and Trisha on the film, she revealed some fascinating details about her co-stars. Ask Abhirami about working with A-list stars like Trisha and TR Silambarasan aka Simbu, she smiled and stated that when on set, they are all actors with no tags. The Virumandi actor said, 'The A-list and top of the line – that's only for the general public. When you're on set, none of these things factor into our conversations. For example, Trisha and I are almost the same age. When we talk, we talk like two women who are from the same generation, who have similar passions and interests. I have gotten to hang out with her more during the promotions and realised we shared a lot of common interests. We share a love for animals, love for food, and for movies. We both hate shopping for clothes, and we both love grocery shopping. You discover these really weird idiosyncrasies that you share. And you realise she's just another girl like you!' Simbu, on the other hand, came into the industry as a child artist and is a man who has numerous talents other than acting, like his father, TR Rajendar. What was Simbu like on set? 'Simbu is a man of few words. He doesn't chat with people as much as other folks do. But I've sort of observed his growth in the industry, and I felt that he always knows the pulse of the audience. Just like his father, who is an amazing entertainer. I've seen how with a very quiet sort of confidence, he knows how to get his audience or give his audience what they want. If you can crack that code, that's it. You've made it. There will be ups and downs in your career. That's just the name of the game. As an adult, he's been in the industry for 25-plus years. And to still be this relevant and to still have this kind of fervour amongst his audience is no small task. I really appreciate him for cracking that code,' stated Abhirami as she signed off.
Hans India
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Hans India
‘Thug Life' makes noise in Vizag
Tollywood is buzzing with excitement as Thug Life, one of the most eagerly anticipated Indian films of 2024, gears up for its grand theatrical release on June 5. Directed by legendary filmmaker Mani Ratnam and headlined by the iconic Kamal Haasan, the film is a gritty gangster drama with a stellar cast featuring Trisha and Simbu in key roles. Adding to the excitement, the film will be released in Telugu by Shreshth Movies, owned by N Sudhakar Reddy, known for past hits like Vikram and Amaran. A grand pre-release event in Vizag saw the film's team come together and share their thoughts with an enthusiastic crowd. Kamal Haasan, overwhelmed by the Vizag audience's love, reflected on his long-standing bond with Telugu cinema. 'Vizag has always welcomed me warmly—from Maro Charitra to Sagara Sangamam. This is like my second home,' he said. He described Thug Life as his tribute to fans and praised the performances of co-stars Simbu, Trisha, Nassar, and Abhirami. 'This is a great film. Simbu's role is like never before. Trisha has played a very memorable character. We believe we've made something special,' he shared. Simbu expressed gratitude to Telugu fans, calling the film 'very good' and urging everyone to watch it on June 5. He also revealed he sang a song in the upcoming film Ozzy, fulfilling his dream of singing for Pawan Kalyan. Trisha, who plays Indrani, said, 'It's been 22 years since Varsham released, and I'm still getting so much love. This role is unlike anything I've done before.' Veteran actor Nassar praised Thug Life as a landmark film in Indian cinema and celebrated the historic collaboration between Kamal Haasan and Mani Ratnam after 37 years. Actress Abhirami called it a 'dream project,' and Sudhakar Reddy assured fans of a success meet in Vizag post-release.
India Today
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- India Today
Actor Simbu on working with Kamal Haasan: I kept getting lost in his mastery
Actor Silambarasan aka Simbu, is thrilled about the opportunity of joining hands with Kamal Haasan in director Mani Ratnam's 'Thug Life'. At a press conference, he spoke about what he learnt from sharing the screen space with Kamal Haasan and spiritual transformation. 'Thug Life' is one of the most anticipated films of asked what he learnt from working with Kamal Haasan, Simbu said, "Lots! I cannot pinpoint what it is. What was difficult was that we tend to forget that we are actors and start observing him while acting with him. I kept observing how Kamal sir was reacting to every situation."advertisement"I had to keep in mind that I was acting opposite him instead of getting lost in his mastery. When Kamal sir comes in, he is not only involved in his act, but in everyone's performance. He'd notice everyone's dialogue, our costume and everything else. It's one such quality that I loved. I can keep going on," he continued. Simbu has undergone a spiritual transformation and now adds the prefix Atman to his name. In Hinduism, Atman is a term referring to the spiritual life principle of the universe."I remember what happened and what all I had to hear when I was myself. I believe it was more to do with age. I was naughty when I was young, and now you all see me in a different light. I'd be sad if I had not been myself at every age. Now, I've understood what life is. So, the subtlety is there," he asked about his thoughts on spirituality and rationalism, he said, "It is up to everyone to visualise the force that is central to the universe. It's one's perspective. It's not about if I am right or the other person is. People have different faiths and both are right. That's how I see this."In 'Thug Life', Silambarasan plays one of the lead roles alongside Kamal Haasan. The film is all set to grace theatres on June Watch
India Today
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- India Today
Actor Simbu on Manchu Manoj: He's like a small kid, show him love, not anger
Actors Manchu Manoj and Silambarasan TR (Simbu) are gearing up for their respective releases, Bhairavam and Thug Life, which are set to hit theatres just a week apart. During the Bhairavam Grand Pre-Release Event, Manoj was asked to call a friend, and he chose Simbu, leading to a spontaneous on-stage moment that delighted the over the call, Simbu said, 'Manoj is like a small kid. If you show him love, he gives back double the love. But if you show anger, then it's a problem for us. So it's better to stay on the right side.' He added that he's proud to have such a friend in his Simbu for his release, Manoj said, 'All the best for 'Thug Life', you look fantastic with Kamal sir, I am so jealous that you did a film with Kamal sir. So happy to see two brilliant actors on one screen.' Returning the love, Simbu praised 'Bhairavam' trailer and said, 'All the best for 'Bhairavam'. I saw the trailer, you did a brilliant job. All the best for the film.'Keeping the mood light, Manoj asked Simbu, 'Macha, can you Gpay me Rs 10,000?', a line that had the audience laughing. Their friendship goes back over a decade. Simbu lent his voice to a song in Manoj's 2013 film 'Potugadu'. The song composed by Achu Rajamani became a viral hit back the trailer: 'Bhairavam', directed by Vijay Kanakamedala, stars Manchu Manoj, Nara Rohit, Bellamkonda Sai Srinivas, and Aditi Shankar. It is set for release on May 30, 2025. Thug Life, which features Kamal Haasan, Silambarasan TR, Trisha Krishnan, and Joju George, will hit cinemas on June 5, Watch
