Madharaasi
Madharaasi (2025) is an Indian Tamil-language psychological action thriller written and directed by A. R. Murugadoss. Produced by Sri Lakshmi Movies, the film stars Sivakarthikeyan, Vidyut Jammwal, Biju Menon, Vikranth, Rukmini Vasanth, and Shabeer Kallarakkal in key roles.
The story follows a patient suffering from Fregoli delusion who becomes involved in an operation to stop a North Indian syndicate from distributing illegal guns across Tamil Nadu.
Madharaasi (2025)
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Directed by | A. R. Murugadoss |
| Written by | A. R. Murugadoss |
| Produced by | N. Srilakshmi Prasad |
| Starring | Sivakarthikeyan, Vidyut Jammwal, Biju Menon, Vikranth, Rukmini Vasanth, Shabeer Kallarakkal |
| Cinematography | Sudeep Elamon |
| Edited by | A. Sreekar Prasad |
| Music by | Anirudh Ravichander |
| Production Company | Sri Lakshmi Movies |
| Release Date | 5 September 2025 |
| Running Time | 168 minutes |
| Country | India |
| Language | Tamil |
| Budget | ₹150–200 Crore |
| Box Office | Est. ₹100 Crore |
Plot
An illegal arms syndicate led by Virat and Chirag attempts to spread gun culture in Tamil Nadu by smuggling weapons. NIA officer Prem and his son Sandeep try to stop them, but the operation fails, leaving Prem injured. During his recovery, Prem meets Raghu, a troubled man suffering from Fregoli delusion, and later recruits him for a dangerous undercover mission after learning about his bravery.
Two years earlier, Raghu had fallen in love with Malathi, but their relationship ended when she discovered his psychological condition, which made him believe strangers were his lost family and pushed him into risky situations.
As the syndicate begins distributing guns, Raghu proves his willingness to sacrifice himself and infiltrates their factory. He confronts Virat and eventually kills him after hearing threats against Malathi. However, Raghu’s mental condition worsens, and Prem hides him for treatment.
Chirag later attacks the NIA office with help from an insider, resulting in Sandeep’s death. Raghu uncovers the mole, tracks Chirag, and helps bring him down, though Chirag is eventually killed by Prem’s team. A new NIA officer secretly linked to the syndicate tries to eliminate Raghu, while Virat escapes and prepares to continue the arms distribution.
In the climax, Raghu fights Virat at the harbor, kills him, and destroys the remaining weapons by dumping them into the sea. After the mission succeeds, Prem credits Raghu and Malathi’s love for the victory, and the couple reunites.
Cast
- Sivakarthikeyan as Raghu Ram
- Vidyut Jammwal as Virat
- Biju Menon as Premnath “Prem”
- Vikranth as Sandeep
- Rukmini Vasanth as Malathy (Voice dubbed by Magalakshmi Sudarsanan)
- Shabeer Kallarakkal as Chirag
- Sanjay as Raghu’s brother
- Aadukalam Naren as Inspector Manoharan
- Thalaivasal Vijay as Dr. Kannan
- Vinodhini Vaidyanathan as Raghu’s aunt
- Santhana Bharathi as Raghu’s grandfather
- Rishi Rithvik as Harsha, NIA team member
- Chandrasekar Koneru as NIA team member
- J. Livingston as Raghu’s delusional father
- Gurupharan Karthikeyan as Virat’s henchman
- Siddhartha Shankar as PC 2, an undercover NIA team member (voice dubbed by Umair Lateef)
- Tejas Krishnan as PC 1, an undercover NIA team member
- Monisha Vijay as Malathy’s younger sister
- Nanditha Sreekumar as Raghu’s mother
- Rajesh Balachandiran as Sudarshan, Virat’s undercover henchman
- Vimala Raman as Sherin, member of the syndicate
- A. R. Murugadoss as a person in the crowd (cameo appearance)
- Cell Murugan as a theatregoer (uncredited appearance in the song “Thangapoovey”)
Production
Development
Madharaasi marks the first full collaboration between director A. R. Murugadoss and actor Sivakarthikeyan. The project was first discussed in 2020 and officially confirmed in 2023. Produced by N. Srilakshmi Prasad under Sri Lakshmi Movies, the film was initially titled SKxARM / SK23, before being officially named Madharaasi in February 2025.
Murugadoss revealed that the script had been written several years earlier and was initially pitched for a Hindi project before being adapted for Sivakarthikeyan. A launch ceremony was held in Chennai in February 2024.
Pre-production
The technical crew included cinematographer Sudeep Elamon, editor A. Sreekar Prasad, and music composer Anirudh Ravichander. Sivakarthikeyan underwent acting workshops to alter his body language for the role. The film was reportedly made on a large budget of around ₹200 crore.
Casting
Sivakarthikeyan plays a psychologically complex character with multiple looks. Rukmini Vasanth was cast as the female lead, while Vidyut Jammwal joined as the antagonist. Biju Menon, Vikranth, and Shabeer Kallarakkal were also part of the main cast, with Biju Menon replacing an earlier planned casting.
Filming
Principal photography began in February 2024 in Chennai, with additional schedules in Pondicherry, Thoothukudi, and Sri Lanka. Several action sequences were filmed, including a high-risk stunt performed by Sivakarthikeyan without a body double. Filming was completed in May 2025.
Post-production
Visual effects were handled by multiple studios including Knack Studios and Phantom FX. Editing work began during production, and dubbing was completed during post-production.
Music
The soundtrack was composed by Anirudh Ravichander, marking his third collaboration with Murugadoss. The first single “Salambala” released in July 2025, followed by “Vazhiyiraen” in August 2025. The album was officially launched in Chennai and released digitally later that month.
Release
Theatrical
Madharaasi was released in theatres on 5 September 2025. Along with the original Tamil version, the film was also released in dubbed languages including Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, and Hindi, where the Hindi version was titled Dil Madharaasi.
Distribution
- United States: Prathyangira Cinemas
- Overseas: Phars Films
- Europe: 4 Seasons Creations
- North India (including Hindi version): Karmic Films
- Malaysia: Fivestar AV
Home Media
The film started streaming on Amazon Prime Video from 1 October 2025 in Tamil and all dubbed versions. Satellite rights were acquired by Zee Tamil and Zee Thirai.
Reception
Critical Response
Madharaasi received mixed to positive reviews from critics. Performances by Sivakarthikeyan, Rukmini Vasanth, and Vidyut Jammwal, along with the action sequences, were widely appreciated, while the predictable storyline and uneven screenplay faced criticism.
Many reviewers described the film as A. R. Murugadoss’ strongest work in recent years, comparing it to the style of his earlier successful films. Critics praised Sivakarthikeyan’s performance as a psychologically complex character and highlighted Vidyut Jammwal’s strong comeback to Tamil cinema after an 11-year gap.
However, some reviews felt the film lacked emotional depth and relied on familiar action-thriller formulas. While the first half and action blocks received positive feedback, several critics noted that the film’s writing and climax weakened its overall impact.
EXTERNAL LINKS
WIKIPEDIA :- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Madharaasi#
IMDB :- https://www.imdb.com/title/tt28252563/
INTERNAL LINKS
KANTARA PART1 :- https://cinemaatlas.com/kantara-kantara-movie-collections/
KAITHI :- https://cinemaatlas.com/kaithi-kaithi-collections/
1.What is the genre of Madharaasi?
Madharaasi is a Tamil psychological action thriller directed by A. R. Murugadoss
2.Who are the lead actors in Madharaasi?
The film stars Sivakarthikeyan, Vidyut Jammwal, Biju Menon, Rukmini Vasanth, Vikranth, and Shabeer Kallarakkal.
3.What is the running time of Madharaasi?
The movie has a runtime of 168 minutes.
4.What is the CBFC certification of Madharaasi?
Madharaasi received a U/A certificate from the CBFC.
5.Who composed the music for Madharaasi?
The soundtrack is composed by Anirudh Ravichander, including the song Salambala.
