The much awaited Tamil film, Thug Life, which is directed by Mani Ratnam and stars legends like Kamal Haasan and Silambarasan (Simbu), finally made its OTT release on Netflix within a month of its theatrical release. The film that hit the big screen on June 5, 2025, is now on Netflix, probably because it failed to create that magic on the big screen. The film after its OTT release is receiving mixed reactions by the viewers online.
Netizens react to Thug Life on OTT
After the OTT release, Thug Life received mixed reactions. Some people liked the film and appreciated the performances of Kamal Haasan and Simbu. Some also felt like watching the film again. On X (formerly Twitter), one user said, “Watched Thug Life on Netflix. It isn’t as BAD as they claimed it to be. Simbu has done a fabulous role and the screenplay was more cohesive than many other Mani Ratnam movies”, while another user commented, “Re-watched #ThugLife on Netflix. The best thing about a #ManiRatnam film is that, with every rewatch, you discover something new.”
However, apart from all the appreciation, a lot of people were disappointed with the film and called it boring, especially the second half. Some felt the music did not align with the film and made it dull. One user commented, “Just did a breezy rewatch yesterday in Netflix and boy after the flashback portions, it was straight dud”, while another user said, “It doesn’t even have trolling level rewatching capacity. What an absolute snooze-fest and dud in everyone’s career.” A third user penned, “A decent 1st half followed by a painfully dull 2nd half is a meta reference to their career graphs.” A user also commented, “I like certain parts in this movie. Yes, majority hate these scenes also, but I like two or three scenes. Rest of the movie is just trauma to me.”
More about the film, Thug Life
Thug Life was highly awaited and anticipated as it marked the reunion of Kamal Haasan and director, Mani Ratnam after their classic film, Nayakan. The film, Thug Life is produced by Madras Talkies and the film casts legendary actors like Simbu, Trisha Krishnan, Aishwarya Lekshmi, Abhirami, Joju George, Ali Fazal, and Mahesh Manjrekar. The film is set in a dark world and the story follows a former gangster who is forced to return to crime due to betrayal.
Box office failure of Thug Life
Thug Life that was made on a budget of around Rs. 200 crore, was expected to be a major box office hit especially because the reunion of Kamal Haasan and Mani Ratnam was enough to excite the audience but however, that did not happen. The film failed miserably at the box office by collecting less than Rs. 100 crore worldwide. The film failed to meet the expectations of the audience. Many viewers felt that the second half was dragged too much, with a complex story and no emotional depth. Some viewers also felt that this film lacked all those things which Mani Ratnam is best known for. The main reason behind its theatrical release was slow pace and uneven screenplay.
What are your views on the film, Thug Life? Let us know.
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