Ali Fazal has completed shooting his portions for Thug Life, the upcoming Mani Ratnam-Kamal Haasan collaboration. The film marks Ali’s debut in Tamil cinema. Reflecting on the experience, the actor described it as a significant learning phase.
He expressed gratitude for the opportunity to work under Mani Ratnam’s visionary direction and to share the screen with icons like Kamal Haasan. Fazal added that the past two months had been transformative, as he learned Tamil, immersed himself in a new cinematic culture, and pushed his creative boundaries. The film marks a reunion for Mani Ratnam and Kamal Haasan after 36 years since their collaboration in Nayakan.
Thug Life also features an ensemble cast, including Silambarasan TR, Trisha, Ashok Selvan, Aishwarya Lekshmi, Joju George, Abhirami, and Nasser.
The film’s technical team includes cinematographer Ravi K Chandran, music director AR Rahman, editor Sreekar Prasad, and action directors Anbariv. Jointly produced by Udhayanidhi’s Red Giant Movies, Kamal Haasan’s Raaj Kamal Films International, and Mani Ratnam’s Madras Talkies, the film is set to release on June 5, 2025.
Meanwhile, Fazal has several projects in the pipeline, including Lahore 1947 and Metro...In Dino.
He will also appear alongside Phoebe Waller-Bridge in Rule Breakers, a film directed by two-time Oscar-winner Bill Guttentag, slated for release in March.