Kamal Haasan Disappointed the Audience: Lagadapati Sridhar

Noted producer Lagadapati Sridhar has expressed strong disappointment over legendary actor Kamal Haasan’s latest film Thug Life, claiming it failed to connect with the Telugu audience. “It was set in a forsaken world with fictional characters, offering zero relatability,” he remarked bluntly.

Sridhar criticized the film’s screenplay, written by Kamal himself, stating it lacked emotional depth. “Thug Life had neither a meaningful social message nor strong family emotions. Unlike Nayakan, where Kamal’s character becomes a gangster due to social circumstances and fights for the oppressed, Thug Life revolves around a personal vendetta—he kills someone for cheating his niece. That takes the sting out of gangster drama and its moral core,” Sridhar explained.

He emphasized that superstars like Kamal must strike a proper balance between personal and social conflicts. “A successful film should blend both dimensions. The Telugu audience has become intelligent and emotionally perceptive—they look for layered narratives,” he added.

Sridhar also noted a shift in Kamal’s recent choices. “He seems increasingly drawn to action-oriented roles rather than portraying diverse characters. With Vikram, he managed to strike a chord—his age-appropriate role and the emotional bond with his grandson offered the right mix of sentiment and action,” he said.

Commenting on Thug Life’s romantic subplot, he added, “There is a family element—his wife Abhirami and daughter—but the affair with Trisha damaged his character arc. An actor of Kamal’s stature shouldn’t rely on steamy scenes. Today’s audience has easy access to such content on their phones. What matters more is emotional depth and context.”

Drawing comparisons, Sridhar praised Malayalam superstar Mohanlal. “He balances family dramas and action films well. Thudaram is a fine example—audiences embraced it because the hero fought for his family. Even Drishyam was a pan-India hit for the same reason. Kamal too found success with Papanasam and should consider returning to such family-oriented stories that elevate Tamil cinema,” he advised.

Despite his criticism, Sridhar hailed Kamal Haasan as “an actor par excellence” and reminded audiences of his classics like Swathi Muthyam and Sagara Sangamam. “The Telugu audience has deep respect for his immense talent and versatility. I truly hope he bounces back with a powerful next film—because all it takes is one solid hit to turn things around for a superstar,” he concluded.