Chennai During the filming of his new movie “Thug Life,” actor Kamal Haasan, who has been working with director Mani Ratnam for 38 long years, said that he gave Ratnam a moniker.

Mani Ratnam was enthusiastic about filmmaking, according to Kamal Haasan, who recently spoke about his partnership with the director at the release of the movie’s first song.

“Very rarely does this happen in a whole career like mine — when you are happy and only thinking about the film,” Kamal Haasan said during his address. Only when your team is like that does it occur. Mani Ratnam is the moniker I have given him. I think I can tell, but I kept it to myself since I was angry. He is more than just Mani Ratnam. His name is Anjara Mani Ratnam, which translates to 5.30 in Tamil. At 5:30 a.m., he arrives and sits on the sets. That’s what I called him. Filmmaker Ravi K. Chandran will know more than I do because if Mani Ratnam arrives on the sets by 5:30 a.m., it will suffice if I arrive by 5:45 a.m. But by 3.45 a.m., cinematographer Ravi K. Chandran must arrive.

On a more serious note, he said, “Only when somebody is thinking of cinema all night can someone get up and come in the morning at 5.30 a.m. without even having an alarm to wake him up.”

Actor Kamal Haasan credited fans with being the only factor that led him and director Mani Ratnam to collaborate on a movie, saying that “Thug Life,” their joint project, would be a peace offering to viewers and fans.

After almost 38 years apart, actor Kamal Haasan and director Mani Ratnam are collaborating on “Thug Life,” their second movie together after the cult masterpiece and box office success “Nayagan.”

Kamal Haasan plays the protagonist in Mani Ratnam’s film Thug Life. Actors Silambarasan, Trisha, Joju George, Ashok Selvan, and Abhirami will also play important parts in the movie.

On May 16, the movie will have its official audio debut. In addition to this, the complete “Thug Life” crew is anticipated to attend a musical event that is planned for Australia.

Director Mani Ratnam’s production company, Madras Talkies, described the film, in which Kamal Haasan portrays Rangaraya Sakthivel Naickan, as “an epic tale of power, rebellion, and triumph.”

A R Rahman composed the soundtrack for the movie, while Ravi K Chandran did the photography. Sreekar Prasad, Mani Ratnam’s go-to editor, edited it, while Anbariv, the stuntmaster, did the stunts.