Here’s all you need to know about the newly released films and shows —Thug Life, Stolen, Mountainhead and Tourist Family

Action, drama and everything in between, from Thug Life and Stolen to Mountainhead and Tourist Family

This week, two Indian cinema titans attempt to recapture their magic with Thug Life, though the results are mixed. Meanwhile, Succession creator Jesse Armstrong delivers a sharp satire on the digital age with Mountainhead, and the gritty indie thriller Stolen proves there’s still life left in edge-of-your-seat storytelling. Just when you thought hope was out of fashion, Tourist Family offers a tender, borderless view of belonging. Let’s unpack.

Two critics — from different generations — caught the much-awaited Kamal Haasan–Mani Ratnam collaboration Thug Life on the opening day and recorded their reactions for The Hindu (full video online).

So, how did that go?

To sum up Shilajit Mitra’s thoughts : “Thug Life is all vibes — gun-toting gangsters flipping on shades while Kamal Haasan and Mani Ratnam sprint around in a cinematic candy shop of their own making. But the result is bloated, disjointed, and crusted with clichés. The film’s ambition to become an emotionally immersive gangster drama is undercut by its eagerness to fit the pan-Indian blockbuster bill. The action sequences, in particular, are poorly directed and performed — a shocker, given the talent involved. The film’s saving grace is the beautifully composed ‘Aanju Vanna Poove’ and Malayalam actor Joju George, who brings a warm, bearish presence to an otherwise dull and draining experience.”

Most critics at the first show seem to agree.

In Thug Life, Kamal Haasan plays a version of Santa Claus who hands out death as a present. Mani Ratnam, meanwhile, seems to be Benjamin Button-ing as a director — growing younger and more amateurish with time. This feels like his amateur phase: a filmmaker still figuring out character consistency and basic continuity.

One moment, four parties are battling it out in Goa. The next, Kamal calls one of them to meet — not nearby — but in Delhi, as if location logistics are optional for climactic showdowns.