Liputan6.com, Jakarta 'Diesel,' a Tamil-language action thriller, was officially released on October 17, 2025, coinciding with the festive celebration of Diwali.
The film stars Harish Kalyan in the lead role, alongside Athulya Ravi and Vinay Rai as antagonists.
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Directed and written by Shanmugam Muthusamy, the film, produced by Third Eye Entertainment and SP Cinemas, promises to be an action-packed and suspenseful spectacle.
The film attempts to address relevant social issues regarding the impact of oil pipeline construction on fishing communities, making it more than just a standard action spectacle.
Diesel Film Premise and Details
'Diesel' is a Tamil-language action thriller film released on October 17, 2025.
The film was directed and written by Shanmugam Muthusamy, and produced under the banners of Third Eye Entertainment and SP Cinemas.
The film's main story centers on the character of Vasu, played by Harish Kalyan, nicknamed 'Diesel' Vasudevan.
Together with his father, Vasu builds an illegal "empire" by tapping into oil pipelines and selling crude oil on the black market.
This action is intended to help fishing communities who have lost their livelihoods due to the construction of the oil pipeline.
The story begins in 1979, when the Tamil Nadu government built a 17-kilometer oil pipeline along the coast of North Chennai.
This project directly threatened the lives and livelihoods of the local fishing community.
Critical Reviews of Diesel
'Diesel' received mixed reviews from critics, with many highlighting its strong premise but perceived lackluster execution.
The Times of India, for example, gave it a 2.5/5 star rating, calling the film slow-paced and simply going through the motions.
While Harish Kalyan was praised for his lively performance, the film was said to "never really ignite."
India Today gave a lower rating of 1.5/5 stars, criticizing 'Diesel' for wasting its explosive premise about a fishing community and oil theft.
Critic Janani K noted that the film tries to be many things—mass entertainment, social commentary, love story, action film—but fails at all of them.
Harish Kalyan's foray into the mass-action genre was even considered a "step back" after his more nuanced films.
Cinema Express also gave it 2.5/5 stars, acknowledging the film's sincere effort in showcasing the plight of fishermen.
However, they highlighted poor writing choices, which created a disconnect between commercial appeal and the narrative's needs.
The second half of the film was considered better, with the screenplay moving toward a "Vada Chennai-esque and Kaththi-esque" style, showing little improvement in the plot.
The Hindu called 'Diesel' a "forgettable outing for Harish Kalyan," despite the actor's efforts in his new action hero role.
Vetri Maaran's lengthy opening narration about an oil pipeline and its impact on fishermen was considered engaging, but it didn't always translate into a film worth investing in emotionally.
Box Office Reception
Technically, the music for 'Diesel' was composed by Dhibu Ninan Thomas, with cinematography by M.S. Prabhu and Richard M. Nathan.
Editing was done by San Lokesh, also known as Rembon.
Some critics praised Dhibu Ninan Thomas' music, particularly the viral "Beer Song," but Cinema Express deemed the visuals less impressive.
On its opening day, 'Diesel' managed to gross around ₹2 crore in India and ₹2.5 crore worldwide.
This was achieved amidst mixed reviews from critics.
The film was also released in Telugu and Hindi dubbed versions.