Thug Life Trailer Public Review: Fans divided but eager for Kamal Haasan-Silambarasan showdown in Mani Ratnam's next

The highly anticipated trailer for Thug Life, directed by the legendary Mani Ratnam, has finally dropped—and it’s everything fans hoped for. The upcoming Tamil-language action drama sets the stage for an explosive face-off between screen titan Kamal Haasan and the dynamic Silambarasan TR.

Thug Life trailer OUT

Clocking in at just under two minutes, the trailer of Thug Life introduces us to Rangaraaya Shaktivel (Haasan) and his son Amaran (Silambarasan). The initial moments portray a touching bond between father and son, underpinned by respect and love. 

But peace doesn’t last long. When Rangaraaya is presumed dead, Amaran rises to power—only for his father to return, alive and unyielding. What follows is a tense transformation from familial warmth to all-out war, as father and son battle for dominance.

The trailer also offers glimpses of other characters, played by Trisha Krishnan, Nassar, and Abhirami, suggesting a layered ensemble cast with plenty of intrigue to come.

Audience reaction to the trailer

On social media platform X, fans were quick to react. One user wrote, “A BIT UNDERWHELMING TRAILER CUT BUT THAT DOESN’T STOP ME TO GET HYPED UP FOR THUG LIFE.” Another added, “Until the synopsis leak few days ago, there wasn’t much of an idea about what #ThugLife was gonna be. And now, it’s cracked up the faceoff between KH and STR. What a blast of a trailer!”

About Thug Life

Directed and co-written by Mani Ratnam, alongside Kamal Haasan, Thug Life is produced by Raaj Kamal Films International, Madras Talkies and Red Giant Movies. Featuring a star-studded cast, music by A.R. Rahman, and cinematography by Ravi K. Chandran, the film marks the first Haasan-Ratnam collaboration since Nayakan (1987).

Thug Life is set for a worldwide release on June 5, 2025, in both Standard and IMAX formats.