Mani Ratnam is a man of his word when he says that more than maintaining political correctness, he believes in nurturing an authenticity in storytelling that isn’t constrained by perceived judgment. Though several of his films like Roja (1992), Ponniyin Selvan I & II (2022-2023), Iruvar (1997) and Guru (2007) stand out, his collaboration with Kamal Hassan almost thirty-eight years ago in Nayakan (1987) is peculiarly well-loved as a cult classic film by cinephiles and masses alike. Starring Kamal Haasan, Saranya and Karthika, Nayakan is a tale of what it means to have power or to lose it—while morality hangs over one’s head as a loose kite with sharp strings. Sakthivel Velu Naicker is played by Kamal Haasan in both films. At first glance, it seems to be a sequel. Yet, Mani Ratnam enunciates that his latest film Thug Life belongs to the same genre as Nayakan, almost as a distant cousin, but entirely different in its approach.