Director Shankar, once celebrated for his visually grand and socially relevant films like Indian (1996) and Enthiran (2010), is now facing heavy criticism.
His recent films, Indian 2 (2024) and Game Changer (2025), have been widely panned. Critics and audiences pointed out weak screenplays, outdated execution, and a reliance on formulaic storytelling.
Indian 2, a sequel to his 1996 hit, was a commercial and critical failure. It failed to recreate the original’s impact. Game Changer, Shankar’s Telugu debut starring Ram Charan, was called cliched and predictable. The film repeated themes from Shankar’s earlier works like Mudhalvan and Anniyan without adding anything new.
In contrast, Mani Ratnam’s latest film Thug Life, starring Kamal Haasan and Silambarasan TR, has generated a lot of excitement. The trailer is being praised for its strong visuals, stylish making, high technical values, and deep themes.
At 68 years old, Mani Ratnam continues to evolve and compete with younger directors. He is still relevant and giving tough fight to young filmmakers with updated cinema storytelling unlike Shankar who has completely lost track.
This comparison highlights a bigger issue. While Shankar seems stuck in the past, Mani Ratnam proves that a director can stay relevant by adapting to today’s audience.
However, to give a final judgment, we have to wait until the release of Thug Life, which actor Nithiin’s father, Sudhakar Reddy, is releasing in Telugu through their Sreshth Movies banner. Thug Life is set for a massive worldwide release on June 5th.
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