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Maareesan, starring Fahadh Faasil and Vadivelu in the lead roles, was released in theatres on July 25, 2025. The pre-release promotions mostly hinted at a buddy road movie vibe. The film received mostly positive critical reception and audience response, reflected in its IMDb rating of 8.2 out of 10. In its first four days, Maareesan managed to gross INR 4.51 crores, resulting in a net collection of 3.83 crores from the Indian domestic market. Did it deserve a better opening weekend? And should you shell out your money to boost its numbers?
Maareesan’s Misses: What Fell Flat
Let’s start with the negatives. The first half is a slow burn, and at times, it has a lot of lag. Then there are the plot holes and the portrayal of police incompetence. The Tamil Nadu police are not as incompetent as shown in the film. But the story demands that level of incompetence. And what about CCTV cameras, surveillance, and notifying the public by issuing wanted posters and other such measures? Where are those in the world of this film? If it was set in the mid-2000s, when feature phones dominated the market and CCTV wasn’t as common, some of these issues could have been explained away.
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Maareesan’s Wins: What Totally Clicked
The performances by the cast are where the film truly won the hearts of the audience. For decades, the Tamil film industry wasted Vadivelu’s potential by giving him roles that served only as comic relief and had nothing to do with the main plot. But in recent times, things have changed. He is now showcasing his talent by taking on well-written roles one after another and delivering some of his best performances, surpassing even some superstars in terms of acting.
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As for Fahadh Faasil, we already knew he would perform well since he has played similar roles in the past. The first and second halves of the film feel like entirely different movies; the tone, pacing, and overall vibe shift drastically for the whole movie. Composer Yuvan Shankar Raja did a good job with the music. It didn’t stand out on its own, but it blended well with the world of the film and felt like a natural part of it. Overall, it is an enjoyable film, but revealing anything more would spoil the experience for you.
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Maareesan Plot
Dhayalan, recently released from prison, is a petty thief who gets back to his old ways by stealing a bike and breaking into a house to rob it. There, he stumbles upon an old man chained up and suffering from dementia. The old man pleads with Dhayalan to set him free and promises a reward of INR 25,000. After taking the money, Dhayalan discovers that the old man has INR 25 lakhs in his bank account. Sensing an opportunity, he comes up with a plan to extract the rest of the money by taking the old man on a road trip. In an interview with OTTPlay, director Sudheesh Sankar revealed that the film’s title, Maareesan, is inspired by the Hindu epic Ramayan. Maareesan was a shape-shifting demon.
Maareesan Trailer
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