The Thug Life audio launch event is now live and highlights from the event can be seen below:

 

1. DOP Ravi K Chandran speech

"'Thug Life' is my fourth film with Mani Ratnam and I have also worked with Kamal Haasan before. During 'Marudhanayagam' (unreleased film from 1997) shooting, my second son was born. Adhitha Krishna has now acted in 'Thug Life' and worked as an associate on it. And my first son is a cameraman. He has worked as an assistant on this film. So they are more proud about working on this film."

 

2. Nasser speech

"People have been coming upto a character artiste like me and asking how 'Thug Life' has come out. Such is the anticipation surrounding the movie. All artists and technicians working on this film have not put in hard-work put their hearts in it. (Actress) Abhirami and I keep talking about how this movie doesn't feel like other films because of the same." 

 

3, Joju George speech

"Working on a film like 'Thug Life' is a once in a lifetime experience then be it working with Kamal Haasan, Mani Ratnam, Silambarasan, Trisha, Ashok Selvan, Abhirami or Nasser. Its just that speaking more than that would be boring." 

 

4. AR Rahman's Anju Vanna Poove (Reprise) Live

AR Rahman's first live performance at the Thug Life audio launch was the reprise version of Anju Vanna Poove song which AR Rahman has sung himself in the movie. 

 

5. Abhirami speech

"I have always wanted to work with Mani Ratnam but it has not happened because of reasons. I guess third time's the charm and I got to do 'Thug Life'." 

 

6. Ashok Selvan Speech

"In 2011, Madras Talkies had sent out an audition call for 'Kadal' (2013), I had applied with photos, and was waiting to see Mani Ratnam at the office. An AD came and told me 'you can't see him' and sent me away. The very next day I went there again because they had wanted an AD who knew Tamil. But I was sent away by Madras Talkies executive producer Siva Ananth because I couldn't identify which Tamil literature a quote was from. Today I have acted in the same production, this could only be believed by that boy (past Ashok Selvan) who was sent away. Thank you Mani Ratnam Sir for calling me, and giving me this opportunity." 

 

"Kamal Haasan said in an interview 'don't call me your guru, we are all students of cinema here.' Sir, I am also a student of cinema, a cinema called Kamal Haasan. Most of my scenes in 'Thug Life' are with Kamal sir."

 

7. Actress Sanjana

Actress Sanjana has worked as both an AD and artiste on Thug Life. She said that if given a chance to work with Mani Ratnam again where she was offered a role, or to work as an AD, she would choose to work as the director's assistant.  

 

8. Lyricist Karthik Netha Speech

"I came to Chennai from Salem in 2000. For the last 25 years, I have been working towards working with director Mani Ratnam and music composer AR Rahman. This manifestation is what has given birth to twin children—'Vinveli Nayaga' and 'Anju Vanna Poove'—today in 'Thug Life'."

 

"I wrote the lyrics of 'Anju Vanna Poove' keeping my own mother in mind, Which is why I teared up when AR Rahman performed it a few minutes ago, and my words fail me at the moment."  

 

9. Sugar Baby has lyrics by Madras Talkies executive producer Siva Ananth, who is the same person who rejected Ashok Selvan during his AD auditions in 2011, and sent the actor away.

The other lyricist of the song is AR Rahman himself who revealed that he wrote the first four lines of the song for the general public to relate, and came up with the term 'Sugar Baby'. 

 

10. KH 237

Stunt master duo Anbariv revealed that their directorial debut with Kamal Haasan is another script by Kamal Haasan himself like Thug Life. 

 

11. Chinmayi

An unexpected highlight of the Thug Life audio launch event was the live performance by singer Chinmayi who was probably making a Tamil film event appearance after long. Chinmayi performed the Muththa Mazhai song originally sung by Dhee in Thug Life. Chinmayi has sung the song's Telugu (Muddu Vaana) and Hindi (Ang Ang Morey) versions in the Thug Life album. 

 

12. Trisha 

Trisha said that she is extremely honoured to have done four films with Mani Ratnam, Kamal Haasan, and AR Rahman each. The actress also revealed that while signing on Thug Life, both Mani Ratnam and her were unsure because the role is complete opposite of Kundavai from their last collaboration, Ponniyin Selvan. 

 

Trisha revealed that all the characters in Thug Life have both positive and grey shades. She plays a music-inclined role in Thug Life, which is why she has three songs in the movie. 

 

13. AR Rahman speech

"I thank Kamal Haasan and Mani Ratnam for the opportunity to work on 'Thug Life'. All Praise to God. 'Vinveli Nayaga' is my favourite track off the album. I really enjoyed while scoring the background music for this film, because every still frame looked like a whole film to me." 

 

14. O Maara song with lyrics and vocals by Paal Dabba is picturized on Silambarasan TR in Thug Life.

 

15. Silambarasan TR Speech

"I have worked for the first time with stunt masters Anbarivu. I have worked with so many stunt choreographers but all of them put together were Anbariv...I have very few scenes with Aishwarya Lekshmi but thank you..Abhirami mam we missed you, welcome back to Tamil cinema. I think her performance will be a talking point after 'Thug Life'." 

 

"I think everyone got shocked after watching 'Thug Life' trailer because of the expectations with Trisha and me. But like Trisha said, there are any more surprises waiting for you all in the movie."

 

"With AR Rahman Sir, I have had a long journey. You all know, the 'Beep song' controversy (December 2015) was a tough time for me. But at that crucial time, it was AR Rahman who made the effort to release a song with a line from my movie's trailer at that time. That was 'Thalli Pogathey' (from the 'Achcham Yenbadhu Madamaiyada' movie which released a year before the film, and was a runaway hit song)".

"When 'Anjali' (1990) released, I apparently cried as a kid asking my parents why didn't Mani Ratnam call me for acting as the Anjali baby's brother, since I was already a child actor here. Then when I grew, as you all know, I was doing mass masala movies, so I had no expectations of Mani Ratnam calling me ever. But at one point in my career, as you all know, I was facing red card issues. No producer or director wanted to work with me at that time. It was then that I received a call from Madras Talkies saying that Mani Ratnam wanted to work with me in 'Chekka Chivantha Vaanam' (2018)." 

 

"There is a scene in 'Thug Life' where I have to hold Kamal Haasan's neck, and I wasn't doing it properly in the first two takes. Mani Ratnam wanted me to hold it with force since the camera was capturing my pretense. When I finally held Kamal Haasan's neck by force, Sir started giving reactions that I didn't see in the first two takes. I was confused mid-shot if I was strangling Kamal Haasan, or was it just his tremendous acting. If I left, Mani Ratnam would give me a good scolding, if not I might actually be hurting Kamal Haasan. But you all saw that shot in the trailer, and it has come out well. Sorry Kamal Haasan sir for hurting you that time."

 

"Like AR Rahman, Ravi K Chandran is someone we have held tightly onto in Tamil Cinema. If left, they'd fly to places. The combination (Kamal Haasan - Ravi K Chandran) that should have fruitioned with 'Marudhanayagan' (1997) has come to life with 'Thug Life', thanks to Mani Ratnam for that."

 

"Yes, I was delighted to see my kid (Shruthi Haasan) perform but to see tiny kids perform (live) really did touch me. When Shruthi was a kid, (veteran music composer) Ilaiyaraaja had given her a chance to sing 'Potri Paadadi Penne' in the movie 'Thevar Magan' (1992). I still remember practicing with her on our way to Ilaiyaraaja's studio for the recording. That kid today has sung in such a bright voice in AR Rahman's music, is definitely a thing of pride for this (points to self) father."

"Trisha is beautiful, this everyone knows. But she is beautiful on the inside. Beyond that hairstyle, the beauty lies in her head (intelligence). The head-weight we see in (her character of) 'Ponniyin Selvan' (movies) can not once be noticed in her real life, which is what I like the most about her. She may seem like iron, but she can be bent and moulded, which is what Mani Ratnam has done with her in 'Thug Life'." 

"I cannot even differentiate between stunt masters Anbu and Arivu till date because they look and dress identical. Even when I ask them, they keep it playful by asking me to guess, and don't even tell me if I'm right. But I watched a movie called 'Iratta' (2023) where I noticed how efficiently Joju George played dual characters, and we could tell who was who. I didn't even know who Joju George was. But he is one of the few actors I am very jealous of."

 

"Ali Fazal I took notice of in Vishal Bharadwaj's film and had wanted to work with. Mani Ratnam made it happen with 'Thug Life'. Silambarasan TR's performance is something I enjoyed very much in 'Thug Life'. The joy I got from watching him is something you all will enjoy from June 5. The sound mixer who won an Oscar with a film called 'Whiplash' (2014) is working on 'Thug Life'. I have only sold the satellite and OTT rights of 'Thug Life'. Distribution, we are doing it on our own so that Mani Ratnam doesn't incur any losses." 

"I have named my production house Raaj Kamal because of the love I have on my mother, myself and because I am a V. Shantaram fan (early 1900s Indian film director whose real name was Shantaram Rajaram Vankudre). If you all support this film, I will have the strength to give you more films you like. Because even my political party, I run with my own money that I have split half between politics and half between cinema. I love you all. Thank You."