Kamal Haasan and Mani Ratnam’s Thug Life was meant to be a game-changer. Instead, it has become one of the most debated Tamil films of the year—and not for the right reasons.
The loudest backlash is centered around Trisha’s character, which was expected to be powerful and layered but ended up feeling hollow to many viewers.
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Several social media users even slammed Trisha for accepting the role in the first place. Despite being designed as daring, the character feels hollow.
Her presence doesn’t advance the plot meaningfully. Even those who saw potential in the idea admit that it was let down by weak writing and execution.
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Worse still, many have found the portrayal borderline exploitative. Accusations of unnecessary sexualization have erupted online. “Is this boldness or just empty provocation?” asked one viral tweet.
But a counterargument is gaining traction—one that asks a difficult question: who gets to define what a “strong female character” is?
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Cinema, many argue, must break free from traditional molds. Not every female character needs to be righteous, moral, or a sobering emotional anchor.
Roles like Anushka’s in Vedam or Sneha’s in Dhoolpet showed women who were raw, real, and often uncomfortable to watch—but they were far from meaningless.
The outrage at Trisha in Thug Life seems to be selective. The moment heroines choose roles outside the moral comfort zone, some of the audience is ready to judge them as “cheap.”
Yes, Thug Life clearly suffers from poor writing and uneven editing. Maybe that’s why many didn’t fully understand Trisha’s character—her arc might have been lost in the messy post-production.
Trisha took a risk by playing a raw, unconventional role, and it’s sad that she didn’t get the screen support she deserved. Troll the film, the writing, or the character, but not the actor.
If we mock them every time they pick bold roles, filmmakers will stop creating such roles, and we’ll be left with only “safe” portrayals.
That said, the film has crashed badly at the box office—even in Tamil Nadu—and might end up faring worse than Indian 2.
But the bigger question still stands: can Indian audiences truly accept bold, flawed women on screen, or are we only comfortable when they fit into neat, traditional boxes?
