Diesel (2025): A scorching start that loses steam by the end
Rating: 3/5 stars
Director: Shanmugam Muthusamy
Starring: Harish Kalyan, Athulya Ravi, Vinay Rai, Ananya
Genre: Action drama
Runtime: 2 hours 24 minutes
Release date: 17 October 2025
Overview
Diesel bursts in with grit and intent, then stumbles under its own weight. Shanmugam Muthusamy picks a tough subject, the diesel mafia along Chennai’s coast, and goes for a commercial package with a conscience. The mix is bold and often gripping. It also wanders, padding the story with side tracks that blunt the impact.
Plot and setup
A prologue set in 1979, narrated by Vetri Maaran, frames the fallout from a state-backed oil pipeline that reshaped livelihoods along Chennai’s shoreline. In the present day, we follow Vasu (Harish Kalyan), a small-time trader from the slums who hustles in the dirty world of illicit fuel. He wants a bigger slice of the pie, buying and moving diesel off the books. His rise puts him on a collision course with Balamurugan (Vinay Rai), a smooth-faced fixer who buys silence, burns rivals, and keeps his hands clean.
Malar (Athulya Ravi) is Vasu’s partner and conscience, a woman from a fishing family who knows what the trade costs. Their romance adds stakes without drowning the story. As Vasu climbs, the film shifts into a tense power play. The script shows how the racket poisons water, pushes out fishermen, and feeds a chain of corrupt deals.
Direction and writing
Muthusamy’s first film shows a clear purpose. The material feels researched and lived in. The opening, a nighttime ambush on a tanker under flickering lights and crashing surf, crackles with tension. There is craft in the midsection too, where whispers and backdoor deals start to tip the balance inside the syndicate.
The villain is not a cartoon. Balamurugan operates within a rotten system, moving from slum to boardroom with money and favours. That choice gives the film texture and keeps it from turning into plain masala. When the script stays tight, it hits hard. When it digresses, it sags.
Performances
Harish Kalyan anchors the film with focus and heat. He sheds the nice-guy image and plays Vasu with simmering anger and charm. In the port-side fight scenes, he looks convincing and does not hide behind stunt doubles. His eyes do a lot of work, and the camera trusts him.
Vinay Rai is a sharp foil. He is calm, crisp, and dangerous, the kind of presence that chills a room. A speech about pipeline politics, set in a dark warehouse, shows how effective he can be when the writing gives him room.
Athulya Ravi brings heart as Malar, but the film sidelines her too often. A beachside plea about displacement stands out, then the story hustles her off stage for another round of flexing. Ananya adds bite as a smart insider, though the pre-climax gives her little to do. Dheena and Aadhitya Bahudhanam add humour and warmth, keeping the stakes human.
Craft and technicals
The film looks terrific. M.S. Prabhu’s camera paints the coast with scale and grime. Drone shots of tainted waves sit next to tight, sweaty frames inside tankers. Ennore feels like a living setting, not a backdrop.
Editing by Rembon is uneven. The second act drifts through a protest track and family debt drama, which slows the pulse and stretches the runtime. A tighter cut could have pushed the thriller core to the front.
Dhibu Ninan Thomas’ music is a mixed bag. The title track, Dillubaru Aaja, sung by Silambarasan and Shweta Mohan, thumps with urgency and suits the chases. Aaruyire adds warmth to the romantic beats. A few cues ride too loud over dialogue and linger longer than needed.
Themes and impact
At heart, Diesel punches at corporate greed, cozy politics, and the people who pay the price. It treats the diesel racket as more than a backdrop, showing ripple effects on jobs, water, and dignity. A stormy face-off between Vasu and a bought official lands that point with force. The message is clear without sermonising.
Climax and reception
The finale goes big, with a sprawling port shootout, fire, and chaos. It is exciting in bursts, but the twists feel signposted, and the emotions do not hit as hard as they should. Some critics felt the same. The Times of India found the film flat despite Kalyan’s spark, rating it 2.5 out of 5. Cinema Express praised its focus on real issues, then called the path meandering, also 2.5 out of 5. Audience chatter on BookMyShow sits around 3.1 out of 5, with many enjoying the fresh take on smuggling lore.
Verdict
In a year clogged with franchises, Diesel tries something urgent and timely, and it often works. Harish Kalyan steps up with a confident turn. Muthusamy’s voice is worth watching, and the subject has room for more stories. The film is flawed but promising. If you want punches with purpose, this will scratch the itch, even if it stalls now and then.
Where to watch and subtitles
Diesel runs in cinemas with English subtitles, and should land on Netflix after its theatrical window. The subs are clear and handle slang and fuel jargon well, though rapid coastal dialects can outpace them. If you do not know Tamil, keep them on, or you will miss half the flavour.