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AR Rahman’s Thug Life(Hindi) -Music Review : Kissa Abhi Jaari Hai

ARR- Maniratnam Team is back with another memorable score in their 33rd year association!

How do we remember a film?

By a dialog, a memorable frame, the actors, or a song or piece of music that sticks with us long after the credits roll. Or, it’s just a bad film that occupies the brain space voluntarily.

I would love to make excuses for the delay in this review. Or I could just say that somewhere along the way my interest in it went from 10 to 0. Anyways, here it is. The good news is even a ‘not 10’ ARR album gives you enough to mull over for a couple of months (and the fact that KH hasn’t sung any track on the album). I plan to watch the film soon as well so that is exciting.

Also, read (or scroll) through the end for a short review on the Ramayan teaser.

Somewhere in early June, 2025

It has been roughly a month since the audio release (Jinguchaa was released earlier in April, and Sugar Baby a week prior to the full album release). As it usually happens for an AR Rahman album, few songs that felt unimpressive/less impressive at first are now settled better in my playlist. I have warmed up more to Jinguchaa than expected.

My apprehensions for the film

I was excited about the film once upon a time. Almost every film fan in India imagines KH in various roles like this. Sometime in my school days (may be around that time we had the story Love Across The Salt Desert by Keki N. Daruwalla) I had written a one pager for a Kamal film in which he is a borderside army veteran who kills criminals in cold of the night and tells everyone but noone believes him. So obviously if Maniratnam is helming a project with KH, the expectations are going to be sky high. But what happens with such ambitious projects is the reverse sometimes.

Confirmed blockbuster.

May 2025

What was that?

July 2025

When I saw the first Yakuza/Samurai type teaser last year, I was quite pumped thinking this would be something crazy by Mani standards, something like a time-travel crossed with gangster. Then came all the casting changes (Dulquer Salman and Ravi Mohan/Jayam Ravi dropped out, STR came in). I lost interest because I am not very big on STR either. Then I saw the trailer last month and whatever little hope I had got quashed. Not only did it look like a very ordinary theme/revenge template, it also had a weird mix of actors, and the music also seemed dialed to 11. And then of course it had KH doing creepy KH things, romancing young heroines. I was in no mood to visualize Trisha in a frame with him, and decided to forget about this film and look forward only to the music, and may be catch it sometime later on OTT.

The film is released now and is met with mixed to negative response. It looks like my apprehensions are true, at least going by the general word (tired gangster saga, nothing new in terms of plot, with slow second half and an attempt at being meta or incoherent). I might be reading too much into it but as an outsider the ‘meta’ thing just throws me off.

But bro you didn’t get that reference bro

In the 1986 film “I am the neighbour you never met” (loose english translation) he will eat 3 peanuts and throw one on ground. So in this frame they showed all those thrown peanuts. Mind blowingly super bro!

Also, it seems to be mostly a cash grab by the team. Mani films were never about mass entry scenes or title cards, or so much action even. But the teasers seem to suggest few things not attributed to his style.

Having said that, given what films work and what don’t isn’t really a great barometer for quality. No matter how bad the film is, there will always be some technical aspect to boast of, like camera, music, action…(I sincerely hope at least).

If you are a ‘diehard Kamal Hassan fan’, you may want to skip this. The less I say about Kamal Hassan films the better. But in true Kamal tradition, I will still go on… I am not his biggest fan, neither his film choices nor the person he is/pretends to be (cineaste/authority on cinema/politician/perpetual foot in mouth syndrome personified).

One of the worst nightmares known to mankind is the sight of an unsuspecting journalist asking something relatively trivial like What made you choose this subject or Where is Agra’s Taj Mahal located, and extending the mic to KH to answer. You don’t even need to know the language to decipher the limitless pain that follows.

Up North we knew KH through melodramatic atrocities like Ek Duje Ke Liye, Saagar, and obscure 80s action films. Then came Sadma and the literal childhood trauma it inflicted on many who saw the Silk Smitha ‘guest role’ in it. I could never sit through Nayakan the second time (may be it was spoiled by Firoz Khan and that sleazy remake- Dayavan of O Haiya O Haiya fame), I liked Hindustani back when I was a teenager in the innocent 90s of Shankar films, but mostly find his performances hammy, cringe-inducing and self-absorbed, much like Aamir Khan. I tried watching the other album/collab with ARR — Thenali, as I loved the score. But it was intolerable (cruelty) to sit through. While Hey Ram and Abhay were alright in places, I don’t particularly look up what films has KH made or making, in the last decade, two decades, ever. So in a way, I was fine with Maniratnam not working with him. But here we are.

Now that I have paid my respects and dues to the superstar, let’s get to the music.

Thug Life is a rare ARR-Mani album for me that is not a 10/10. It is probably between 8 and 9. While a few tracks (4 out of 9 to be exact) are perfect, the others are not quite there. Usually an album from this team has a distinct sound signature. I won’t even mention Ponniyin Selvan/PS (as that is something otherwordly and in my opinion, their best work at par with Iruvar, Thiruda Thiruda and Dil Se) but look at Kadal, Kaatru Veliyidai, Chekka Chivantha Vaanam.Each album comes with so much coherence, of songs, of sounds, of moods, of atmosphere. Unfortunately, Thug Life doesn’t have that. While the songs are great no doubt, and there is likely anything better coming this year, it feels more like a brilliant and eclectic private album than a Maniratnam score. May be that is on purpose, as the film doesn’t seem all that approachable either.

A Maniratnam ARR project is exciting for many different people for many different reasons. For film students, for fans, for someone able to relate to some micro aspect of the story or a song. I for one have always found it fascinating how Mani captures ‘Indian’ elements in his films, be it cultures or language nuances of Gujarat, Bengal, Kashmir or Delhi (albeit in broad brush strokes), it’s always something that I look for, to study in a Mani film.

AR Rahman soundtracks for Mani films is like a large jaggery powder jar. The layers from different times show a different colour, but they get mixed a bit too, sometimes you dig deeper to taste how the older lot feels, sometimes you compare it with the new.

AR Rahman seems to be going through ‘mixed reaction’ phase too in his career. While some may attribute it to ‘politics’, I feel it is deeper. Sadly there are very few actually defending his scores over last few years and a majority ‘against’ them. While it is impossible for any artist in any discipline to maintain constant praises for their work over decades (I can’t think of any), it has become rather commonplace (at least on social media) to deride Rahman’s work as ‘having lost steam’. One positive in all this bitter atmosphere is his works in Tamil have met good response. If you leave albums like PS and Goat Life (which are a league apart), and albums Ayalaan and Lal Salaam aside (which were great in its own right), most of his scores from VTK, to Maamannan to Pathu Thala, to Raayan, to Kaadhalikka Neramillai have been celebrated, the background music landed with positive response, with 1–2 tracks from each album especially the ones sung by Rahman even satisfying the ‘trending’ audience (what a mean feat!). In comparison, the albums for Bollywood- Maidaan, Pippa, Chhaava have sadly either been panned universally or not noticed at all in reviews. Chamkila is the only one which has escaped this ire of general audience.

With Thug Life, one aspect that is a downer is the lack of the background pieces. With the tease of all those massy tracks last year, one would have imagined those pieces to be part of a song or a larger theme piece, but that is not the case. I will wait to watch the film what happened to those.

JINGUCHAA

Singer: Sukhwinder Singh, Ronkini Gupta, Aashima Mahajan, Vaishali Samant

There is an urgency to the song which doesn’t feel very ARR. Even his dance/fast songs have a life, a curve, which one can’t seem to see here. The song feels like 1.5x. And if not for the nuanced second stanza/refrain that allows some moments ‘to breathe’, it would have felt like a ‘reel song’.

On the positive side, the song does grow on you on multiple listens. Guess you have heard that before, but it doesn’t grow to the heights an average ARR number does.

Some of the Hindi version is saved by Sukhwinder’s high on (no clue what) vocals and energy.

rough notes- utterly uninspiring song , the set up is not clean neither linear…Confusing and noisy song…Like a bad blend of param sundari and Sarattu Vandiyila from KV.

Having seen snippets of the video, I shudder to imagine who is getting married to whom and what makes KH so happy that he hits the dance floor. Sounds like a wedding celebration from hell.

Whenever I hear the ‘sikka tha sikka tha khota tha kal tak, sona banke aaj kaise nikhra hai’ bit in the song, I am always thinking of the dark horse stocks in my portfolio. I guess this joke may meet the same fate as Thug Life the film.

ARR is now giving us songs that are complete score pieces in themselves, with variations, with a journey, with a musical trajectory that is explored down to each small note and spaced out, like Aga Naga, Periyone, Omane and now this. It is like a mini education from ARR, a crash course in music appreciation, a marvel of sound to cherish, and celebrate.

From Maidaan Music Review

SUGAR BABY

Singer: Nikhita Gandhi, Shuba, Shashwat Singh Rap: Shuba

One of the better songs in the film. Full of sass, jazz and verve. ARR captures this sensuality really well in songs through the decades, but one that immediately comes to mind is Doche from Komaram Puli (a brilliant score). The song works so well in Hindi, it feels like it was made for Hindi, everything from the hooks to punches land just perfectly. Even the English rap works no matter how cheesy it is on paper. This has been my favorite evening walk song this gloomy monsoon season.

AR Rahman will not stop composing music just because you think he is overrated. By that logic, there should be no Nolan films.

https://x.com/humanprojector/status/1925170869598597174?s=61

ANG ANG MOREY

Singer — Chinmayi

Another song with many transitions. Starts off as Raag Purya Dhanashri with lush arrangement backing Chinmayi’s mischief-ridden rendition. There is lot of restlessness in this song, I am not sure if it’s a good or a bad thing. The qawwali type Hindustani portions feel rushed though heavily addictive. It reminded me of the whole Logic Pro Qawwali Funk sound in Jalwanuma (Heropanti 2).

Mehboob has to do lot of work here with the lyrics, given the amount of couplets but it is mostly good. I liked the phrases chhota mota waada and kissa abhi jaari hai.

Bits of the song ring in the head …saajan tu sajni hoon main aur haqeeqat kuch bhi nahi.

While Chinmayi is good I wonder if it would help to have two singers perform it, may be like a mix of a heavier voice (Madhubanti) combined with thinner voice of Antara Nandy or so.

If you consider the structure, it is a very confused song.

Sapno sa naino mein aaya tha wo

Naina khule to nahi tha ji wo

Uski khushboo saanso mein thi

ki rag rag mein jaise samaya tha wo

Never ever remind me of this film again

par ise sheesha jo mil jaaye

to aaina dil ka bhi khil jaaye

Thug Life fav versions by Tushar Shukla on Apple Music

Lush background strings, a Tango like verve.

pyaar saajan tu sajni hoon main

aur haqeeqat kuch bhi nahi

pyaar hi baaki hai

maut bhi kuch hi nahi

Towards this portion, Chinmayi’s voice goes thin, reminds of Madhushree at times.

Kissa main dil ka phir se sunaoon kya

At this time there is a nice loop-like/kathavaachak (narrator) quality to the song. It is poetic, moody and very top notch musical theater.

I heard the song in Tamil. With due respect, Dhee’s vocals for this song are a chore to withstand. Also I heard ‘dum maro dum’ in the lyrics, which feels odd, considering in Hindi, the words are ‘jaanu dum le lo dum dum’ which translates to a feeling of letting everything go, surrender, sacrifice. I don’t need to tell you what Dum Maro Dum means. Also, when I hear this part, I am always reminded of Aloo Dum.

I have always seen Mani sir do that reluctant mention of ‘Rahman’s score’ for his ‘fillum’ through the decades. It has almost become like a signature element now, like Tarantino being very possessive of some trivial aspect of his films. I first started noticing this ‘reluctant use of songs’ at the time of Dil Se. Mani looks like he was not that much confident of having shot lavish set piece type songs (Satrangi Re, Jiya Jale), and with every film there on, songs started getting more into the background. I would always love it when they didn’t, like in case of Yuva, Guru, Raavan (which is one of my fondest Mani-film watching memories). I guess with the exception of CCV so far, every other film of this collab has done 2–3 song-songs. CCV also found a way to use the song at key moments, Bhoomi Bhoomi, Sevanthu Pochu Nenje, Kallavani, Hayati all were so intrinsically woven into the ‘sound’ of the film. I was also very happy that PS1 celebrated those brilliant songs of ARR, especially Chola Chola in the way it did. PS2 for understandable reasons, let away with the song-song thing although the first 15 minutes use of 2–3 songs in succession was lot of fun.

O VEER-E-KAINAAT

Singer: Nikhita Gandhi, A. R. Ameen Rap: Prashanth Venkat

A fine, upbeat song. A mostly linear track that follows conventional structure.

The X factor is the fresh use of strings on a 80s pop template . Then you build on from there with anime like charged up vocals bring in some good old filmy heroism and emotion with a completely fresh vibe by ARR, the eternal innovator.

While one can imagine little thought may go in the Hindi dubbing of songs, at times few bits feel quite silly. Like the whole Barsi megha bit is messed up in pronunciation.

Here’s me looking at Day 1 collections

CHAAND KE TUKDEY

Singer: Sneha Shankar

This song in this version is a 10/10 for me. The emotional vibe, the personality that shines through, the musicality, all of it is so poignant in a very ARR way.

O MAARA

Singer: Nitesh Aher Lyrics: MC HEAM

Jalaa ke rakh bana de aisi dehekti jwala hai…Maara

This is quite the upbeat song in the album. Like other songs, I have no clue about the visuals but there is a nice lilt and a feel good vibe to the track, especially the Hindi version.

EK CHEHRA

Singer: Shifa Ruby

Proper gangster noir big opera night gives way to a smooth claps and guitar strum-led open.

This is also a very ARR track, something of a middle track in a score. There is a retro moonlit feel to the music and the vocals.

Yaar bhanvra wo benaam tha

Ae Kaamini bata sahi

Kisne lagayi ye dil mein aag si

(even this bit is messed in terms of pronunciation, is it kisne lagaye/lagayi/isne lagaye?)

ARR gives a cool x-factor to the retro envelope with slight electronic loop in the back. Towards the finale, there is a groovy dance like guitar led fiesta.

They didn’t choose the Thug Life. Thug Life chose them.

LET’S PLAY

Singer: Thoughtsfornow

Lyrics: Thoughtsfornow

A functional rap song brimming with attitude and ‘mass’ vibe all over. While the lyrics seem commonplace at first, the song grows on you with the layered vocals that gel well with background chorus and sounds and lot of audio embellishments, both in instrumentation and ‘street sounds’.

CHAAND KE TUKDEY (REPRISE)

Opens with dramatic violins straight out of Chef’s Table.

Singer: Vijay Prakash

The reprise feels quite odd, the lines don’t translate well to the male voice. Also, why do a reprise if there is no visible change in the structure (which was done much better in Chinnanjiru, Jaane Tu), apart from the theme piece like violin open.

Zulmi jo duniyo?

While a good singer in his own right, Vijay Prakash sounds bit too melodramatic and tired here, not to add some messed up accent in places. A Shaan/Sonu Nigam/Arijit or even Vishal Mishra would have been a much better choice.

Kahan hai madhuban

Kahan hai Khushbu

Dhoondega tu

(super confusing lyrics)

Mani Ratnam and Kamal Haasan have previously worked together in Nayakan. Thug Life marks their first collaboration together with AR Rahman, promising a groundbreaking musical experience. With Mani Ratnam’s visionary filmmaking, Kamal Haasan’s unparalleled acting prowess, and AR Rahman’s soul-stirring music, Thug Life has raked in high expectations. The film’s musical journey will begin soon, with the first single expected to set the tone for one of the biggest releases of 2025.

The illusive mrigtrishna of a MR title card

Thug Life is produced by Kamal Haasan’s Raaj Kamal Films International, Mani Ratnam’s Madras Talkies, R Mahendran, and Siva Ananth. The film boasts a stellar ensemble cast comprising Kamal Haasan himself, who plays Rangaraaya Sakthivel Naicker. The film also features Silambarasan TR, Trisha Krishnan, Ashok Selvan, Aishwarya Lekshmi, Joju George, and Abhirami in key roles. Accompanying them are Nassar, Chetan, Mahesh Manjrekar, Tanikella Bharani, Bagavathi Perumal, Chinni Jayanth, and Vaiyapuri, in strong supporting characters.

The ensemble also includes Ali Fazal, Rohit Saraf, Baburaj, Pankaj Tripathi, Arjun Chidambaram, Rajshri Deshpande, Sanya Malhotra, and Vadivukarasi, further adding to the film’s opulence. Thug Life is set for a theatrical release worldwide on June 5, 2025.

Thoughts on Ramayan Teaser Score

Though the fans knew a little earlier, the Ramayan look and teaser is out now. I will reserve my thoughts on the authenticity the look conveys or how convincing the film feels as of now, but as of the score, it is nothing short of majestic.

Love how the music starts from a bit of Dune, then signature Zimmer grandeur then grows and concludes on a very Indian ARR touch. The range exhibited within these 155 seconds is sheer bliss. Hope they release one such piece every 2–3 months till the Diwali 2026 release. Another interesting aspect is Kumar Vishwas handling the lyrics.

If you ask any Indian what would they like to see in this album (or the film), the answers will lead to millions of options and possibilities. Personally, I would like to see at least 2–3 albums from this project, with new tracks, new score pieces, and may be something like a collab project with multiple artists with tribute renditions of this sacred part of our lived history that is Ramayan. May be Zimmer can do something like an extended score like he did with Dune Sketchbook.

Another exciting thing for fans of both ARR & Hans Zimmer is that when such a big project is about to land, there will be frequent disclosures, about its making, few audio bits in teasers. So plenty to get excited about in the next year and two from Project Ramayan. Jai Shree Ram.

Thug Life: Kamal Haasan, AR Rahman, Mani Ratnam Unite For Epic Collaboration; First Song Out SoonHeropanti 2 Music: A fun B-sides mixtape from AR RahmanPIPPA — AR Rahman — Music ReviewAR Rahman : On Loop from 27 Years: A Lifelong Mausam of EscapeChamkila Music Review-AR Rahman back with Rockstar team[image error]

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