In a rare and heartfelt confession, legendary filmmaker Mani Ratnam has acknowledged that his latest film Thug Life flopped badly and disappointed cinema fans.
In a candid interview, he apologized to audiences—especially those who hoped for something as iconic as Nayakan, his classic collaboration with Kamal Haasan from 1987.
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“To all those who expected another Nayakan from us, I have just one thing to say — forgive us,” Mani Ratnam said.
“We never intended to give anything less than our best. We tried something different, but maybe we missed what the audience truly wanted.”
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His honesty struck a chord with fans. Many appreciated that he didn’t deflect criticism or blame others, like some big Tamil directors such as Shankar (Game Changer) and Karthik Subbaraj (Retro) but instead took full responsibility.
Thug Life, released on June 5, brought Mani Ratnam and Kamal Haasan back together after 37 years. The hype was sky-high. But the film failed to connect, both critically and commercially. Audiences felt cheated, and negative word-of-mouth spread quickly.
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Mani Ratnam’s open acknowledgment of Thug Life’s failure is rare in the industry—and refreshing. It not only shows his humility but also reassures fans that Mani Ratnam remains committed to making good cinema.
Whether he will be able to make a comeback and deliver impactful films again remains uncertain, as age is catching up and he might not be able to create stories that resonate with today’s audiences.
But we would still like to remember him for the classics he gave us—Roja, Bombay, Dil Se, Sakhi, Yuva, Guru, and OK Bangaram and not for disasters like Thug Life.
