Mumbai, May 28: Legendary actor and filmmaker Kamal Haasan praised his “Thug Life” co-star Ali Fazal, calling him a “very important actor for India.”
Kamal Haasan shared that he became a fan of Ali Fazal after watching him in Vishal Bhardwaj’s espionage thriller Khufiya. He said, “I saw you in Vishal’s film Khufiya and knew I wanted to work with you. And this man (Mani Ratnam) made it happen. Ali is a very important actor for India. So I want you to welcome me to Chennai and our cinema.”
Ali Fazal was deeply moved by Kamal Haasan’s words and called it a “dream come true.” He said, “Getting a compliment like that from Kamal sir is something I will carry with me forever. He’s not just a legend in Indian cinema, but a global icon of storytelling, art, and courage. Sharing the screen with him in Thug Life is an honor, and to be welcomed so warmly by him is truly a dream come true.”
Produced by Kamal Haasan under his banner Raaj Kamal Films International, along with Mani Ratnam’s Madras Talkies, R. Mahendran, and Siva Ananth, Thug Life stars Kamal Haasan as Rangaraaya Sakthivel Naicker. The film features a strong ensemble cast including Silambarasan TR, Trisha Krishnan, Ashok Selvan, Aishwarya Lekshmi, Joju George, Sanya Malhotra, Rohit Saraf, and others. The film marks the reunion of Mani Ratnam and Kamal Haasan after 35 years; their last collaboration was the 1987 drama Nayakan. Thug Life is scheduled for a worldwide theatrical release on June 5, 2025.
Meanwhile, Ali Fazal is preparing for the release of his upcoming film Metro…In Dino, directed by Anurag Basu. He is also undergoing rigorous Jujutsu training under Italian black belt Umberto Barbagallo for the next schedule of Rakht Brahmand.
Rakht Brahmand is produced by Raj & DK and directed by Rahi Anil Barve. The series also stars Aditya Roy Kapur, Samantha Ruth Prabhu, and Wamiqa Gabbi. It is an action-fantasy limited series on Netflix based on the Marathi short story Vidushak by G. A. Kulkarni. The story revolves around a fictional kingdom and the power struggle between two princes vying for the throne. The six-episode series is set to premiere soon on Netflix.
