Ali Fazal wraps up Mani Ratnam-Kamal Haasan's Thug Life shoot

Actor Ali Fazal has completed shooting his portions for the highly anticipated Mani Ratnam-directorial Thug Life, starring Kamal Haasan in the lead. Fazal expressed his gratitude, stating, "It has been an absolute honour to work under Mani Ratnam sir's visionary direction."

In Short

• Ali Fazal wraps up shooting for his role in Kamal Haasan-starrer Thug Life
• Directed by Mani Ratnam, Thug Life is a Tamil gangster drama
• Fazal says that the experience was transformative for him as an actor

Bollywood actor Ali Fazal has completed filming his portions for Thug Life, Mani Ratnam’s ambitious Tamil project starring Kamal Haasan in the lead role. The film, set to release on June 5, 2025, has been the talk of the town not only because it marks the reunion of Mani Ratnam and Kamal Haasan after 36 years for but also for its impressive ensemble cast. It features Silambarasan aka Simbu, Trisha, Joju George, Nassar, Aishwarya Lekshmi, and Sanya Malhotra alongside Haasan.

Here's a picture from the sets:

Fazal, making his South Indian debut, shared his excitement, saying, “It has been an absolute honour to work under Mani Ratnam sir's visionary direction. The opportunity to share the screen with icons like Kamal Haasan sir and the rest of this extraordinary cast is something I’ll cherish forever. The last two months have been transformative for me as an actor.”

He further added, “Mani sir creates a world so immersive and rich, and I can confidently say this film will be a cinematic feast for audiences across India and beyond,” as he expressed his eagerness to share the work with viewers.

Thug Life boasts a talented technical team, including cinematographer Ravi K Chandran, editor Sreekar Prasad, and action choreographer duo Anbariv. With AR Rahman composing the score, the film promises to be a visually and musically immersive experience. The teaser for Thug Life, unveiled on Kamal Haasan’s 70th birthday, hints at an action-packed narrative featuring dramatic combat sequences and a dual avatar for Haasan.

Jointly produced by Raaj Kamal Films International, Madras Talkies, and Red Giant Movies, this Tamil gangster drama showcases talents across various film industries, establishing itself as a pan-Indian project to watch out for in 2025. Mani Ratnam and Kamal Haasan are reuniting for Thug Life after 36 years with their last collaboration being the blockbuster 1987 film Nayakan.

Mani Ratnam’s last directorial, Ponniyin Selvan: Part II, received a lukewarm box-office response compared to its predecessor, Ponniyin Selvan: Pari I. Meanwhile, Kamal Haasan’s most recent film, the Shankar-directorial Indian 2, faced criticism despite his return as the iconic character Senapathy.

Ali Fazal was last seen in the third season of the highly acclaimed gangster drama Mirzapur, where he reprised his role as the don Guddu Pandit.