When Thug Life was first announced, the hype was immediate. Mani Ratnam teaming up with Kamal Haasan after decades naturally sparked comparisons to their iconic 1987 film Nayakan, still hailed as one of Indian cinema’s finest.
Expectations ran high — but when Thug Life finally hit theatres, it failed to resonate at the box office.
Now, for the first time since the film’s release, director Mani Ratnam has opened up about its underwhelming reception.
Speaking candidly to the media, Ratnam addressed the criticism: “If audiences were expecting another Nayakan from us — I can only say, we’re sorry. But that was never the intent. Why should we revisit the same territory?”
According to Ratnam, Thug Life was always meant to be a creative departure, not a nostalgic retread. He acknowledged that the film’s risk didn’t pay off as expected.
“We set out to try something new. I don’t think it was a case of over-expectation — it was a different kind of expectation. The audience wanted something else from what we offered,” he said.
Ultimately, Ratnam believes the film fell victim to a mismatch between audience anticipation and the story he and Haasan chose to tell — a reinvention instead of a return.
