The trailer of the upcoming high-octane Tamil film ‘Thug Life’ was released on May 17. It offered a gritty look into Mani Ratnam’s world of power, betrayal and personal conflict. With just three weeks remaining until its theatrical release on June 5, the trailer sets the tone for a grand action drama that pits Kamal Haasan and Silambarasan TR (STR) against each other in a gripping clash of generations and ideologies.

The trailer hints at a storyline where an orphan raised by a gangster eventually rises to challenge the very man who shaped him. It is a setup that has been explored before, in classics like ‘The Godfather’ and Indian films like ‘Sarkar’. Even Kamal and Ratnam’s earlier collaboration, ‘Nayakan’, dealt with similar emotional beats. Mani Ratnam’s more recent ‘Chekka Chivantha Vaanam’ also explored themes of power, loyalty and betrayal within a gangster setup.

While the structure may seem familiar, Mani Ratnam is known for bringing emotional depth and visual style to such stories. ‘Thug Life’ seems to follow that tradition. Kamal Hassan is seen in multiple looks across timelines, hinting at a character with a layered past. Kamal’s line, ‘You saved me from the Lord of Death. From today, we are one’, points to deep relationships that may shift as the film progresses.

One of the most striking aspects of the two-minute trailer is the significant weight given to Simbu’s character. It’s not just Kamal Haasan’s show. STR’s intensity in the scene where he declares, “From now on, I am Rangaraya Sakthivel,” is powerful and hints at a pivotal turning point in the story. His commanding screen presence and body language suggest a compelling face-off with Kamal’s character, both emotionally and ideologically.

The cinematography is moody and stylised. Kamal’s de-ageing looks smooth and not out of place. STR, on the other hand, appears raw and grounded. The chemistry between them could be one of the film’s biggest strengths.

Supporting actors like Joju George, Nassar and Trisha Krishnan also seem to have substantial parts, making this more than just a hero-villain face-off.

Here’s the trailer of ‘Thug Life’:

Despite its polished trailer, the film carries the pressure of standing out in a crowded genre. Stylish gangsters, intense monologues and gun fights are not new. But Mani Ratnam’s storytelling and AR Rahman’s music might be the difference. With ‘Thug Life’, the hope is that a familiar story will find new power through performance, emotion and craft.

The film is scheduled to hit theatres on June 5.