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

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On June 5, 2025, I had the privilege of watching “Thug Life,” a gripping gangster film, on the big screen. This powerhouse collaboration brought together Kamal Haasan and Silambarasan TR in pivotal roles, under the skilled direction of Mani Ratnam. Interestingly, both Kamal Haasan and Ratnam worked together to script this intriguing tale.

Since the movie has been getting a variety of opinions, let’s delve into an analysis of its conclusion. Let’s break down the events that unfolded during the final act.

Thug Life story

The movie “Thug Life” narrates the tale of Rangaraaya Sakthivel Naicker, a notorious gangster portrayed by Kamal Haasan. In his younger years, Naicker finds himself in a violent confrontation with his adversary Sadanand (played by Mahesh Manjrekar), resulting from this clash, an innocent individual loses their life, leaving behind orphaned children.

Following a period of estrangement between the man and both his children, his son was taken in by a criminal figure, who subsequently raised him as if he were his own offspring. Decades later, this adopted child, Amaran, rose through the ranks to become an influential member within the criminal organization.

In a moment fueled by revenge, an elderly gangster named Sakthivel takes the life of a relative. This action lands him in prison, with Amaran taking over as leader. Later, Sakthivel’s brother Manickam and his adopted son negotiate a truce with their rivals, eventually securing Sakthivel’s release from prison.

After leaving prison, the once-terrifying gangster realized a change in power structures within their organization. Now that Amaran rules over what was once his empire, the gangster harbors hostility towards him.

Eventually, Sakthivel encounters an attempt on his life, causing him to suspect his foster son as the mastermind behind the plot. At first, disheartened by this accusation, the head of the gang is tricked into thinking that his biological father had been murdered by the same person, which leads him to take action against his foster parent.

Currently, Sakthivel encounters another attempted murder as Amaran shoves him off a precipice, believing him to have perished.

Spoiler alert

After narrowly cheating death, Sakthivel transforms into a cool-headed seeker of retribution. Shrewdly plotting his revenge, the former gangster journeys towards Thrissur, a city where his family – his wife and child – reside.

In light of his wife’s memory issues, the gangster becomes even more determined to seek revenge. Yet, his adversaries, intent on apprehending him, tragically take the life of his lover, Indrani, portrayed by Trisha Krishnan.

In the process of attempting a rescue, Sakthivel gets hurt, but this mishap eventually helps him locate Chandra, who is the long-lost sister of Amaran.

In a dramatic climax, the father and son, who were once close, find themselves locked in a fierce physical altercation. But as the dust settles, the long-estranged brothers Chandra and Amaran make amends, with the elder brother, Naicker, extending forgiveness to his sibling.

But, things take a tragic turn as Deepak, their longtime adversary, ends Amaran’s life by firing a shot. This event prompts the former fearsome gangster to ponder over the shadow of death that seems to have pursued him relentlessly, from his mother to his own son.

At last, the former mafia boss can be found tending to crops in a peaceful rural setting, where he resides contentedly with his spouse and their daughter, who recently welcomed his grandson, Junior Sakthivel, into the world.

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2025-06-05 16:37