Maareesan (2025): A Road-Trip Thriller That Falters After a Promising Start

Released: July 25, 2025

Director: Sudheesh Sankar

Starring: Fahadh Faasil, Vadivelu

Runtime: 152 minutes

Studio: Super Good Films

🎞️ Trailer: 

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Plot & Themes

A petty thief, Dayalan (Fahadh Faasil), breaks into the home of Velayudham Pillai (Vadivelu), an elderly man who claims to suffer from Alzheimer’s. In a strange twist, the thief is persuaded to help the old man visit a friend, lured by the promise of ₹25 lakh in the bank. What begins as a manipulative act transforms into a deeply emotional journey across Tamil Nadu—with both men hiding deeper truths.
As the road unfolds, themes of deception, redemption, vigilante justice, and the fragile morality of both characters emerge.

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Performances

• Fahadh Faasil plays Dayalan with quiet intensity and complexity, bringing a thief’s wit and evolving morality to life.

• Vadivelu, stepping out of his typical comedic shadow, delivers a poignant, layered performance as Velayudham—commanding empathy and depth throughout.

• The chemistry between the two leads anchors the film, even as the narrative shifts tone.
  

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Direction, Style & Music

Director Sudheesh Sankar introduces Maareesan as a slow-burn road drama that sharply turns thriller post-interval—raising stakes but fracturing tone.

Yuvan Shankar Raja’s music and score subtly enhance the mood, especially the standout track "Maareesa."

Kalaiselvan Sivaji’s cinematography captures Tamil Nadu’s landscapes beautifully, grounding the emotional journey in vivid realism.

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Reception & Box Office

• Trade analysts projected an opening day of around ₹5 crore across India, including ₹3 crore from Tamil Nadu and ₹1 crore from Kerala.

• Critics praised the early moments and the lead duo’s chemistry, but noted the screenplay became predictable and lost its grip in the second half.

• The film received positive nods for its wit and social depth, including praise from Kamal Haasan.
  

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OTT & Continued Reach

Maareesan is set to stream on Netflix approximately four weeks post-theatrical release—around August 25, 2025—in multiple languages, including Tamil, Hindi, Malayalam, Kannada, and Telugu.

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Final Thoughts

Maareesan offers an emotionally loaded journey with strong lead performances and lyrical visuals. Though its second half falters with tonal inconsistency and conventional storytelling, the film remains worth watching for its compelling character dynamics and melancholic humor.

If you're drawn to storytellers unafraid of moral ambiguity—or admire Vadivelu’s rare dramatic turn—Maareesan delivers enough heart and depth to hold your attention, even if it doesn't fully follow through.