Thug Life star Kamal Haasan says Mani Ratnam developed from his story Amar Hai: He embellished it, the punchlines were changed…

Tamil cinema is gearing up for the release of its next biggie, Thug Life, headlined by actor Kamal Haasan. The film is directed by veteran director Mani Ratnam, marking the collaboration of the powerhouses of talent after 37 years. Touted to be a gangster action drama, Thug Life is set to release in theatres on June 5. Ahead of the release, Kamal Haasan, in a recent interview, spoke about the origin of Thug Life and that it is based on a story he had written years ago.

Kamal Haasan says Mani Ratnam changed his story 

In a recent interview with Hollywood Reporter, Kamal Haasan said, "I finished a script which was called Amar Hai. It is a pun; a man who is believed to be dead but not, his name is Amar," and recalled it to Alfred Hitchcock's The Trouble with Harry trailer which starts with a mysterious dead body.” The Vettaiyaadu Vilaiyaadu actor said that he wrote, but Mani Ratnam took it and made it embellished it. Comparing it to a joke, Kamal Haasan said, "He embellished it, the punchlines were changed so it works better. It is the same thing, but he tweaks it. It is nice to collaborate than combat with somebody.”

It is safe to assume that Thug Life has equal contributions from Mani Ratnam and Kamal Haasan. With the line of Amar Hai, one can also expect that the upcoming film might have connection to their 1987 film Nayakan, the much-celebrated film of the duo in which the actor played Velu Naicker, an underdog who went on to become a gangster.

Thug Life release date

Thug Life is set to release on June 5. With music by AR Rahman, the film is headlined by the Paapanasam actor, who will be working with Mani Ratnam, known for his films like Iruvar and Anjali.

It also stars Silambarasan, Trisha, Ashok Selvan, Joju George, Aishwarya Lekshmi, and others. Co-produced by Madras Talkies and Raaj Kamal Films International, the trailer of Thug Life is set to release on May 17.