KH234 teaser: With Thug Life, Kamal Haasan, Mani Ratnam promise a visual spectacle

The much-awaited teaser of the upcoming movie KH234 was revealed on the eve of Kamal Haasan's 69th birthday. The movie has been officially titled Thug Life and from the teaser, it's evident that director Mani Ratnam and Kamal are gearing up to deliver a one-of-its-kind gangster drama.

While gangster movies gained popularity in recent Indian movies, Thug Life promises to set itself apart from its predecessors. Based on the teaser, the movie seems to be set in a different era, exuding a post-apocalyptic atmosphere.

The teaser begins with Kamal's character giving us a quick introduction about himself. "My name is Rangarayar Sakthivel Naiker," he says. "I was labelled yakuza." He goes on to explain the meaning of the Japanese word. "It means gangster." As the battle begins, Kamal shows off his martial arts skills as he takes on heavily armed rivals. But, his rivals are not armed with guns but with ancient weapons like knives and spears, adding more questions about the movie's time period. 

ALSO READ: Dulquer Salmaan's first reaction on joining Kamal Haasan's KH234: 'A learning opportunity of a lifetime' 

The teaser has been cut with the sole intention of promising fans a visual extravaganza, which is also high on action sequences. 

This film will mark Kamal's reunion with Ratnam after a gap of 36 years. The duo changed the face of Tamil mainstream cinema in 1987 with Nayakan. Deeply inspired by Hollywood classics like The Godfather and Once Upon a Time in America, the film has only grown in prominence in the Indian film industry over the years. 

Fans are anticipating another ground-breaking film from the actor-director duo as they reunite after such a long hiatus. The duo has also assembled a strong set of actors and technicians for their upcoming magnum opus. 

Besides Kamal, this movie also boasts other big stars, including Dulquer Salmaan, Jayam Ravi and Trisha. While Oscar-winner AR Rahman will take care of the film's music, it also has other top technicians including cinematographer Ravi K Chandran, editor Sreekar Prasad, and stunt choreographers duo Anbariv. 

In addition to playing the lead role, Kamal is also bankrolling the movie under his production house Raaj Kamal Films International, along with Mani Ratnam's home banner Madras Talkies. It is also co-produced by Red Giant Movies, R Mahendran and Siva Ananth.