Thug Life Ending Explained: What happens in climax of Kamal Haasan’s film and did Sakthivel die?

If you’re still confused about how Kamal Haasan and Simbu starrer Thug Life ended, here’s an explanation you need to see.

Updated on Jun 05, 2025  |  06:58 PM IST |  997K
Thug Life Ending Explained
Thug Life Ending Explained (PC: RKFI, X)

Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers.

Thug Life, starring Kamal Haasan and Silambarasan TR in the lead roles, hit the big screens on June 5, 2025. The gangster actioner directed by Mani Ratnam is co-written by Haasan along with the director.

As the film is receiving mixed reviews, here’s an explanation post on its ending. Let’s understand the details and everything that took place in the climax.

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Thug Life story

Thug Life features the story of Rangaraaya Sakthivel Naicker, a feared gangster, played by Kamal Haasan. In his early days, Naicker gets embroiled in a shootout with his rival Sadanand (played by Mahesh Manjrekar), which leads to the death of a harmless person, leaving his children abandoned.

After the man’s son and daughter go estranged, the son gets adopted by the gangster, who then raises him as his own. Years later, the son, Amaran, becomes a formidable member of the gangster’s mafia group.

In a moment of revenge, the now-aged gangster, Sakthivel, kills a member of his family. This puts him behind bars, leaving Amaran as the head. Later, Sakthivel’s brother Manickam and his adopted son strike a peace deal with the rival gang, leading to the kingpin’s release.

However, following his departure from prison, the once-feared gangster understood the shift in power dynamics. As his empire is now under Amaran’s rule, the gangster feels an animosity towards him.

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Later on, Sakthivel faces an assassination attempt, making him suspect his foster son to be the conspirator. Initially, distraught by this claim, the new leader of the gang is manipulated into believing his biological father was killed by the former, prompting him to get his foster dad out of the picture.

Now, Sakthivel faces another assassination attempt when Amaran pushes him off the cliff, presuming him to be dead.

Spoiler alert

Thug Life turns into a revenge story when Sakthivel escapes his death and has now become a calmer and calculated person. Astute in vengeance, the gangster makes his way to Thrissur, where his wife and daughter live.

As his wife suffers from memory loss, the gangster is more resolute in vengeance. However, his rivals, dead set on capturing him, kill his girlfriend, Indrani (played by Trisha Krishnan).

While trying to save her, Sakthivel is injured, which leads him to find Chandra, Amaran’s estranged sister.

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Now, in a final moment of showdown, the once-loving father and son engage in brutal hand-to-hand combat. However, the fight ends with the estranged siblings, Chandra and Amaran, reuniting, with the Naicker forgiving him.

However, everything turns sour when Deepak, their arch-rival, kills Amaran by shooting him. This leads to the once fearless gangster reflecting on how his death has followed him throughout his life, from his mother to his son.

In a final moment, the mafia boss is now seen working in a field, living happily with his wife and daughter, who has given birth to his grandson, Jr Sakthivel.

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Credits: Theaters
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