During the first interaction with public and press after completion of Thug Life, Mani Ratnam took to the stage to praise Kamal Haasan and speak about their three-decade-long friendship.
He said, "It’s been such a joy to work with Kamal sir again after so many years, and I’m truly grateful. He’s not just a brilliant actor — his love for cinema remains as deep and passionate as ever. He effortlessly balances between mainstream films and pushing creative boundaries."
"Just yesterday during dubbing, he was sharing the sounds he experienced in the US — it’s always a learning experience being around him. You gain so much just by listening to him. When Kamal sir is part of a film, a director’s burden is reduced by half. He not only takes care of his own performance but also looks out for everyone around him," he continued, sharing details about their personal and professional learnings and collaboration.
Before concluding, he mentioned that Kamal's acting is rooted in realism. "I also want to thank all the artists involved, especially Ravi K Chandran, for his patience and incredible work alongside me," he signed off.
Along with Mani Ratnam, the main cast and crew consisting of Silambarasan, Trisha, Abhirami, Ashok Selvan, Joju George, composer AR Rahman, and DOP Ravi K Chandran were present at the event. Aishwarya Lekshmi, Nassar, Mahesh Manjrekar, Tanikella Bharani, Vadivukkarasi, Chinni Jayanth, Vaiyapuri, Bagavathi Perumal, Baburaj, Ali Fazal, Rohit Saraf, Arjun Chidambaram, Chetan, and Rajashri Deshpande are also part of the cast.
The technical crew of Thug Life also features editor Sreekar Prasad and action directors Anbariv. The film is a co-production between Udhayanidhi's Red Giant Movies, Kamal Haasan's Raaj Kamal Film International, and Mani Ratnam's Madras Talkies.
Thug Life is all set to hit theatres on June 5.