MUMBAI: Superstar Kamal Haasan recently made a surprising revelation, disclosing that the script for the upcoming film “Thug Life” was originally his own work, titled “Amar Hai.”
In a recent interview, Haasan, who also stars in the film, opened up about an interesting aspect of Thug Life’s beginnings. Speaking with The Hollywood Reporter India, the ‘Kalki 2898 AD’ actor disclosed that the film was originally inspired by a script he had penned himself, called “Amar Hai.” He went on to share insights into the story’s original concept, offering a fresh perspective on the project.
Kamal Haasan was quoted as saying, “I finished the script. It was called Amar Hai at that time. Amar hai is a pun; a man who is believed to be dead is not dead. His name is Amar, and that’s the problem. The trailer says, ‘The trouble with him is that he’s dead.’ It starts with a mysterious dead body, and then he appears and peeks in. I wrote this and that character, but he (Mani Ratnam) took it like an idea. It’s like telling a joke—you say you like it, but the final punch could be sharper.”
Earlier, at a promotional event in Mumbai, Mani Ratnam had shared how Kamal Haasan’s vision was instrumental in developing the film’s concept. Ratnam revealed, “The first thing that came was Kamal Haasan, and then Thug Life came in. So, it started from there.”
This project also marks a significant reunion between Ratnam and Haasan, coming together again after 35 years since their last collaboration on the acclaimed 1987 drama "Nayakan.”
“Thug Life” is a collaborative production brought to life by Haasan’s Raaj Kamal Films International, Mani Ratnam’s Madras Talkies, along with producers R. Mahendran and Siva Ananth. The film boasts a star-studded cast, led by Kamal Haasan as Rangaraaya Sakthivel Naicker, joined by actors such as Silambarasan TR, Trisha Krishnan, Ashok Selvan, Aishwarya Lekshmi, Joju George, Ali Fazal, Sanya Malhotra, and Rohit Saraf.
Helmed by Mani Ratnam, with a musical score composed by A.R. Rahman, “Thug Life” is slated for a global theatrical release on June 5, 2025.