Simbu recalls getting work from Mani Ratnam when he was almost banned from the industry

Thug Life is one of the most anticipated films of the season. Starring Kamal Haasan, Trisha Krishnan, and Simbu in lead roles, the film has been helmed by filmmaker Mani Ratnam. The film’s trailer and songs have already created a lot of buzz among fans. On Sunday, at the film’s audio launch event, actor Simbu thanked Mani Ratnam on stage and said the filmmaker had supported him at a time when he was on the verge of getting banned for controversies.

Simbu thanks Mani Ratnam

Simbu recalled how Mani Ratnam offered to work with him during a difficult time in his career.

Simbu reportedly said, “He took a film titled Anjali, and it starred children. A Telugu child artist played the lead. I started crying after watching the film. I felt sad that I wasn't a part of the film despite being a child artist here. At that time, I thought he wouldn't call me ever. When I grew up, I only did mass masala films. There was a time when there were talks about (producers) giving me a red card. Many producers were skeptical of approaching me."

He added, "At that time, I received a call from Mani Ratnam's Madras Talkies. I didn't believe it at first. When I met him, I asked him if it was truly him who called me for a film. At a time when everyone was scared to work with me, he took that chance. I will never forget that.”

Back in 2023, Simbu along with other actors received red cards from the Tamil Film Producers' Council. It meant a temporary ban on the actors to prevent them from accepting work with any producer until further notice.

Thug Life is set to release on June 5 in theatres worldwide.