KUALA LUMPUR, June 2 -- Indian movie icon Kamal Haasan has set the bar high for his upcoming film Thug Life, declaring it an evolution of his craft that will surpass his iconic 1987 masterpiece Nayakan.

The actor, who came to Malaysia on Saturday to promote the film, which is slated for theatrical release on June 5 by DMY Creation, shared his insights during an exclusive interview with Malay Mail.

Reflecting on the challenge of living up to his past success of Nayakan directed by the genius Mani Ratnam who is a close friend, Kamal said their shared goal was always to push boundaries.

"The demography has expanded, and we, as technicians, I as an actor, and he (Mani) as a director, have evolved over time.

"Our first challenge is to surp...