Yuva

This is the kind of cinema he used to make. I genuinely don't know why he's making films like Thug Life now. Yuva, simultaneously shot in Tamil as Ayutha Ezhuthu, is one of the strongest films in his filmography. The film revolves around three completely different lives, played by Abhishek Bachchan, Ajay Devgn, and Vivek Oberoi. Their stories eventually collide at one point, but it's the journey that makes the film so engaging. Mani Ratnam beautifully captures different shades of youth. One is trapped in a life of crime, one is carefree and directionless, while another is driven by responsibility and purpose. That's the beauty of Yuva. It understands what it means to be young. This is the phase of life where you either build yourself or lose yourself. You study, chase a career, take up a job, dream bigger, or simply try to figure out who you are. The film captures that youthful energy remarkably well. At the same time, Yuva also dives into politics. It exposes manipulation, empty slogans, power abuse, and the dirty games played by ambitious politicians. But what I love most is the question it asks: Why can't young people enter politics? Why isn't politics seen as a career choice? If the youth are the future of this country, then why should they let political parties decide that future for them? I didn't want to connect this film with the recent student protests, but after witnessing them, Yuva hit me differently. Its themes feel even more relevant today than they did when it was released. Yuva is a generational classic. Mani Ratnam's direction and screenplay, Anurag Kashyap's sharp dialogues, and A.R. Rahman's unforgettable music comes together to create something truly special. Absolutely worth your time. A must-watch.