Kamal Haasan at ‘Thug Life’ audio launch: ‘I’m not right here to promote a movie, however to promote good cinema’

The audio launch of Thug Life, one of many largest Indian movies of the yr, was held on the Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor Stadium in Chennai on Saturday, Might 24. The movie marks a reunion between two dwelling legends of Tamil cinema, actor Kamal Haasan and director Mani Ratnam, after their 1987 hit Nayakan.

The occasion featured the 2 alongside the star of the present, music maestro AR Rahman, and actors Silambarasan TR, Trisha, Nasser, Joju George, Abhirami, Ashok Selvan, and Ali Fazal, amongst a number of actors and technicians. Notably, Kannada famous person Shivarajkumar attended the occasion as a particular visitor. The night noticed outstanding singers like Shruti Haasan, Chinmayi, Rakshita Suresh, Paal Dabba and others carry out Rahman’s chartbuster songs from the album dwell on stage.

As a significant spotlight of the occasion, a visibly emotional Kamal Haasan paid his tributes to the dignitaries on the occasion. In an impassioned speech, he paid tribute to the artwork type of cinema and mentioned that he needs to return all of the love being showered on him by making higher movies. “Ashok Selvan mentioned he was as soon as amongst the gang exterior my home who got here to see me; how do I ever thank all these individuals? That’s why I entered politics. Do you get it? To not turn out to be a Chief Minister. What an MLA does to a constituency, now we have been doing it progressively to the entire of Tamil Nadu for over 40 years,” mentioned Kamal. “I’m so grateful to know that my brothers are actually standing tall in society in excessive locations, and your brothers ought to try this, and you want to make them try this, STR,” he additional added, pointing in the direction of Silambarasan.

The Ulaganayagan thanked Shivarajkumar for felicitating the occasion and mentioned, “How can I not submit myself to this love? As your consultant, Kannada’s famous person has come right here. However he doesn’t determine himself as that right here; he’s right here as my son, as my fan, as a consultant of all of you. He’s from a household of mine from Karnataka.”

Kamal then mentioned that he met Mani Ratnam at a really younger age. “Nevertheless it was cinema that introduced us collectively. Cinema will carry many collectively. It will possibly humble all egos,” he mentioned, earlier than turning his consideration to Silambarasan. “I can see the heights my brother STR is about to achieve. You might have a duty, Simbu; you’re the chief of this crowd. You might be already accountable, however now you may have much more duty; that’s not a burden, however a pleasure. Please take pleasure in it, and I’ll take pleasure in watching you take pleasure in it,” mentioned Kamal, including that he loved watching Simbu’s efficiency within the movie. “I’m not right here to see Thug Life, I’m right here to promote good cinema,” he added.

Kamal Haasan on the audio launch of ‘Thug Life’
| Photograph Credit score:
@RKFI/X

In the meantime, Shivarajkumar known as the audio launch his ‘fan second’ and expressed his adoration for Kamal in his speech. “I like his smile, eyes, persona and every little thing about him.” The famous person recounted an incident when Kamal visited the previous’s father, late veteran actor Rajkumar, at their home. “He was speaking to my father, and I used to be simply admiring him from a distance. Kamal sir requested who I used to be, and my father launched me as his son; he then shook my hand, and I requested him if I might hug him as soon as. You gained’t imagine me, I didn’t bathe for 3 days after hugging him as a result of I needed his odour on me. I’m that massive of a fan,” he mentioned, including that it was a privilege to be a particular visitor at an occasion for Kamal’s movie.

“My dad sounded the clapboard for Raaj Kamal Movies Worldwide’s first movie, Raja Paarvai, and that affiliation has continued since then, and it’ll achieve this till we’re right here,” added Shivarajkumar, earlier than reminiscing in regards to the second when Kamal known as Shivanna after the latter’s chemotherapy surgical procedure within the US earlier this yr. “He instructed me he teared up after speaking to me; I can always remember that. It was like my dad talking to me.” As a significant spotlight, the famous person additionally sang ‘Orey Naal Unnai Naan’ from Kamal’s 1978 movie Ilamai Oonjal Aadukirathu.

Shivarajkumar on the audio launch of ‘Thug Life’
| Photograph Credit score:
@RKFI/X

In the meantime, when requested to touch upon Pathu Thala, Silambarasan’s Tamil remake of his Kannada movie Mufti, Shivanna mentioned that he has all the time admired Simbu’s angle. “That’s why they name him Little Supertstar. He’s good-looking, aggressive, emotional, romantic and every little thing.”

In his brief and candy speech, ace filmmaker Mani Ratnam recounted an incident when he first met and spoke to Kamal. “After that assembly, his brother, Mr. Charuhasan, took me to Mr. Mahendran, a filmmaker I really like and was keen to fulfill. Mr. Charuhasan launched me, and since he was drained after capturing a schedule on a ship, Mr. Mahendran provided to sit down with him and have a beer. I used to be fairly livid as a result of he neither provided me an opportunity as an assistant director nor provided me a beer. He later instructed me that he had helped me by doing so.” The filmmaker then mentioned that when he returned to fulfill Kamal, the latter tasked him and actor-screenwriter Kitty a.ok.a Raja Krishnamoorthy to adapt an English novel. “He then requested me to relate that script to Bharathiraja, a narration that the filmmaker nonetheless teases me for. That’s after I realised that I’ve to struggle my struggle to the highest.”

Mani Ratnam on the audio launch of ‘Thug Life’
| Photograph Credit score:
@RKFI/X

The filmmaker then thanked Kamal for providing him Nayakan at such a troublesome time. “That was the massive break, and it liberated me. Till that movie, producers used to say, ‘You don’t know something, so do as I say.’ Each movie was a battle. After Nayakan, they mentioned, ‘We don’t know, so that you do as you want.’ I bought a complete liberation.”

In the meantime, composer AR Rahman stored his speech too brief. He thanked Kamal and Mani Ratnam for the chance. “I preferred how, whereas scoring, each body appeared like an image by itself,” he mentioned.

AR Rahman on the audio launch of ‘Thug Life’
| Photograph Credit score:
@RKFI/X

Alternatively, Silambarasan bought a thunderous welcome on the venue even earlier than he might start his speech. After thanking AR Rahman for providing him help throughout a tumultuous time, Silambarasan recounted how, as a baby artist, he was upset that he was not solid for a job in Mani Ratnam’s 1990 movie Anjali. “As a result of I used to be the identical age, and was performing in movies as properly. They gave me some causes to pacify me. I believed ‘Okay, he won’t ever name us to behave in his movies.’ Furthermore, you all know the sort of mass masala movies I began doing as a lead in a while.” Simbu narrated how Mani Ratnam provided him a job in Chekka Chivantha Vaanam at a time when he had a pink card issued in opposition to him by the Tamil Producers Council. “Producers have been scared of creating movies with me. Administrators stopped approaching me with scripts. And that’s after I bought a name from Madras Talkies, stating that Mani sir has requested to fulfill me. So when everybody was scared to supply me a movie, he positioned his belief in me, and he known as me. I’ll always remember that, sir. Not solely Chekka Chivantha Vaanam, sir has known as me for each movie since then; he known as me Ponniyin Selvan as properly however I couldn’t do it attributable to some causes,” mentioned Simbu, earlier than thanking Kamal Haasan for the chance. “Each time we are saying that now we have loads to study from him, he says he’s nonetheless a scholar of cinema. I imagine there’s nothing fallacious to study from a scholar who’s as prolific and gifted as you, sir.”

Silamabarasan TR on the audio launch of ‘Thug Life’
| Photograph Credit score:
@RKFI/X

Silambarasan then bought emotional as he expressed his gratitude to his dad and mom, T Rajendar and Usha Rajendar. “Often, dad and mom take their youngsters to the seaside, park, or motion pictures, or ask them to review properly. However proper from after I was a baby, my dad and mom taught me to behave. It was very troublesome again then; whereas different youngsters have been having enjoyable, I needed to steadiness performing and research. I used to surprise why they have been placing me by such difficulties, however now, after forty years, I get a possibility to behave alongside Kamal sir. And now, everybody’s saying Simbu is aware of how one can act, dance and sing proper from a younger age. The rationale for all that’s my dad and mom,” added the star, earlier than promising Kamal and Mani Ratnam to work arduous and promise to do good by the belief they’ve positioned in him.

In the meantime, the movie’s feminine lead, Trisha, mentioned that it was an honour to have labored with Kamal, Mani, and Rahman 4 occasions every. ”Some movies are extra particular than others, maybe due to the individuals concerned within the movie, their ardour and arduous work. Kamal sir retains saying he’s a scholar of cinema, and I’ve to say this, I’ve learnt a lot from him. I really feel honoured to name him my mentor, instructor, good friend and co-actor,” mentioned Trisha. “After I first got here to Mani sir’s workplace for Thug Life, we have been each uncertain if I’d swimsuit this position as a result of it’s an excessive reverse of Kundavai from Ponniyin Selvan. However I hope I’ve pulled it off, and I hope you all prefer it,” added the actor.

Trisha on the audio launch of ‘Thug Life’
| Photograph Credit score:
@RKFI/X

Additionally starring Aishwarya Lekshmi and Mahesh Manjrekar amongst others, Thug Life boasts a robust technical crew together with the likes of cinematographer Ravi Ok Chandran, editor Sreekar Prasad and stunt administrators Anbariv. Produced by Raaj Kamal Movies Worldwide, Madras Talkies, and Purple Big Films, the movie is about to launch in theatres on June 5.