CHENNAI: Kamal Haasan’s 234th film titled Thug Life was speculated to go on floors in Chennai on January 8 at a private hospital on Greams Road. However, DT Next learns that the second collaboration between Kamal Haasan and Mani Ratnam after Nayakan (1987) will start rolling from January 18.
“The shoot will begin inside a college premise in Shenoy Nagar, Chetpet and the first schedule will take place in Chennai. Nassar is the latest addition to the cast of Thug Life. He will be joining Kamal Haasan and Mani Ratnam, 36 years after he played a cop in Nayakan. We do not know about his role in the film yet,” a source close to the film told DT Next.
Another significant development is that Ravi K Chandran will be helming the cinematography. For the unversed, Ravi K Chandran’s brother Ramachandra Babu was the cinematographer in Mani Ratnam’s Tamil debut Pagal Nilavu (1985) in which Ravi K Chandran assisted his brother. Thirty-nine years later, he is operating the camera for the film and his son Adithya Krishnan R would be one of Mani Ratnam’s assistant directors in Thug Life.
Kamal Haasan headlines the film as a ‘Yakuza’ from Kayalpattinam. Actress Abhirami of Virumandi fame will be seen in an important role. Apart from them, the movie will also have Jayam Ravi, Trisha Krishnan, and Dulquer Salmaan in other lead roles. AR Rahman is composing the music for the project.