Is Nayakan and Thug Life similar? Decoding 5 parallels between Mani Ratnam’s films starring Kamal Haasan

Kamal Haasan and Mani Ratnam have remained friends for more than three decades now, rather than just colleagues. Interestingly, they have collaborated on only two projects together till now, first with Nayakan and then with Thug Life.

Their second project happened only after a gap of almost 38 years. However, despite the differences, audiences have felt that both films have maintained some common traits and share more than one shred of similarity.

Well, then, check out these five parallels that have been drawn between Nayakan and Thug Life.

Running theme of gangster thrillers

One of the most evident similarities between Nayakan and Thug Life is their theme and backdrop of gangster action thrillers.

The former revolved around the evolution of an underworld kingpin as he rose from being a mere slum dweller to a respected crime lord in the hustling city of Bombay.

In Thug Life, a similar trait can be found, as it narrates the story of the feared mafia from Delhi and his journey, where he seeks vengeance against those related to his own.

Similarity of the names of the protagonists

It appears that Mani Ratnam has attempted to maintain a string of continuity between the two films by awarding similar names to the titular characters, both being played by Kamal Haasan.

For Nayakan, the Tamil actor adopted the name Sakthivel Naicker, who is also known by the nickname Velu to many.

When it comes to Thug Life, Kamal Haasan’s character sticks to the name of Sakthivel and becomes Rangaraaya Sakthivel.

Critique of complex family relations

Another common trait between the two Tamil films is an underlying commentary on complex family relations and unresolved issues in both movies.

In Nayakan, the protagonist grows up witnessing his father's abandonment and is left feeling betrayed after his father's death.

On the other hand, audiences witness a game of revenge between Sakthivel and his foster son Amaran in Thug Life, after the latter planned to kill him and hoard his position in the underworld.

Tassel between good and evil

Both Mani Ratnam films leave audiences on a difficult path, as they must judge what is genuinely good and what is inherently bad.

The titular characters in the two movies, played by Kamal Haasan, appear overwhelmingly corrupted due to their connections to the gangster world. However, underlying their stiff exterior is a soft core of a traumatic past, which is often overlooked. 

As a result, it is quite difficult to categorise them as good or bad, or whether the character is just morally flawed.

References to past trauma

References to the protagonist’s past trauma are another recurrent theme in both films. Their transformation from being an ordinary man to the king of the mafia world is no easy task.

While one faces derangement and detachment from any paternal figure, the other suffers from backstabbing hypocrisy, which shakes his belief in anything good.

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