Asthram (2025 film)

Last updated

Asthram
Asthram (2025 film).jpg
Theatrical release poster
Directed byAravind Rajagopal
Written by
  • Jegan M. S
Produced byDSM Dhana Shanmugamani
Starring
CinematographyKalyan Venkatraman
Edited byBhoopathy Vedhagiri
Music byK.S. Sundaramurthy
Production
company
Best Movies
Distributed byFive Star Company
Release date
  • 21 March 2025 (2025-03-21)
Running time
108 minutes
CountryIndia
LanguageTamil

Asthram is a 2025 Indian Tamil-language crime thriller film directed by debutant Aravind Rajagopal [1] and co-written along with Jegan M. S, starring Shaam and Niranjani in the lead roles. The film is produced by DSM Dhana Shanmugamani under Best Movies having Nizhalgal Ravi, Aroul D Shankar, Jeeva Ravi, Ranjith DSM and others in supporting roles. Asthram was released in theatres on 21 March 2025.

Contents

Plot

An inspector on medical leave investigates a pattern of public suicides where victims stab themselves. The case connects to chess players, an ancient book on ritual suicide, and a mysterious figure orchestrating the deaths from the shadows.

Cast

Production

In early February 2024, through a first look poster, actor Shaam's next project in the lead role titled Asthram was released. [2] The film is directed by debutant Aravind Rajagopal and co-directed Jegan M. S and produced by DSM Dhana Shanmugamani under Best Movies. [3] The film also stars Nizhalgal Ravi, Aroul D Shankar, Jeeva Ravi, Ranjith DSM and others in supporting roles. [4] The technical team consists of Kalyan Venkataraman as the cinematographer, Boopathy as the editor and K.S Sundaramurthy as the music composer. [5]

Principal photography took place for 30 days across Chennai and Kodaikanal and got completed before the announcement. [6] [7]

Release

Theatrical

Asthram released in theatres on 21 March 2025. [8] The film was postponed from 7 March 2025 due to inadequate theatre availability as multiple films were releasing on that date. [9] [10] Earlier it was scheduled for 21 February 2025 and then pushed to 28 February 2025. [11] Five Star Company acquired the theatrical distribution rights of the film in Tamil Nadu. [12]

Home media

Asthram premiered on Aha Tamil on 9 May 2025. [13]

Critical reception

A critic of Dinamalar rated the film 3/5. [14] Abhinav Subramanian of The Times of India gave 2/5 stars and wrote "Shaam approaches Akilan with dedication, even as the character remains thinly written. Nira gets screen time as his media-savvy wife, yet contributes only domestic filler. Nizhalgal Ravi brings a measured presence to his role. Asthram leaves its audience in check, with no desire for a rematch." [15] Sreejith Mullappily of Cinema Express gave 1.5/5 stars and wrote "The film huffs and puffs its way to a contrived ending, only to later deliver an anticlimactic wink at the camera, a sequel bait. Suffice it to say, this asthram misses the target more than an archer would even with a blindfold from miles apart." [16]

References

  1. R, Ansgar (4 February 2024). "நாயகனாக மீண்டும் மாஸ் என்ட்ரி.. கலக்க வரும் "தளபதியின் அண்ணன்" - வெளியானது "அஸ்திரம்" படத்தின் First Look!". Asianet News (in Tamil). Archived from the original on 22 March 2025. Retrieved 3 January 2025.
  2. தாரா, ராகேஷ் (4 February 2024). "Asthram: புதிய அவதாரத்தில் கம்பேக் தரும் நடிகர் ஷாம்: அஸ்திரம் படத்தின் ஃபர்ஸ்ட் லுக் பகிர்ந்த வெங்கட் பிரபு!". ABP Nadu (in Tamil). Archived from the original on 4 February 2024. Retrieved 3 January 2025.
  3. Sundar, Anusha (4 February 2024). "Here is the first-look poster of Shaam's upcoming film titled Asthram, The Secret". OTTPlay . Archived from the original on 15 July 2024. Retrieved 3 January 2025.
  4. "Actor Shaam's next titled Asthram". Cinema Express . 4 February 2024. Archived from the original on 5 February 2024. Retrieved 3 January 2025.
  5. "Shaam's next titled Asthram, first look out". DT Next . 5 February 2024. Archived from the original on 22 March 2025. Retrieved 3 January 2025.
  6. "Actor Shaam's next film as a lead titled 'Asthram'; first look poster out!". The Times of India . 4 February 2024. Archived from the original on 6 February 2024. Retrieved 3 January 2025.
  7. "Actor Shaam's Asthram Will Be An Investigative Thriller". Times Now . 5 February 2024. Archived from the original on 5 February 2024. Retrieved 3 January 2025.
  8. Kumar, Akshay (15 March 2025). "Shaam's Asthram sets a new release target". Cinema Express . Archived from the original on 15 March 2025. Retrieved 18 March 2025.
  9. "Shaam's investigation thriller 'Asthram' pushed from March 7 release". The Times of India . 6 March 2025. Archived from the original on 20 March 2025. Retrieved 7 March 2025.
  10. "Shaam's Asthram release date pushed to March". Cinema Express . 20 February 2025. Archived from the original on 5 March 2025. Retrieved 20 February 2025.
  11. Kumar, Akshay (1 February 2025). "Shaam's Asthram gets a new release date". Cinema Express . Archived from the original on 22 March 2025. Retrieved 1 February 2025.
  12. "Shaam's Asthram gets release date". Cinema Express . 3 January 2025. Archived from the original on 14 January 2025. Retrieved 3 January 2025.
  13. Features, C. E. (7 May 2025). "Shaam's Asthram gets OTT release date". Cinema Express . Retrieved 7 May 2025.
  14. "அஸ்திரம் - விமர்சனம்". Dinamalar (in Tamil). Archived from the original on 22 March 2025. Retrieved 21 March 2025.
  15. Subramanian, Abhinav (20 March 2025). "Asthram Movie Review : Chess pieces without a winning strategy". The Times of India . Archived from the original on 22 March 2025. Retrieved 21 March 2025.
  16. Mullappilly, Sreejith (21 March 2025). "Asthram Movie Review: This murder mystery loses steam by chasing its own tail". Cinema Express . Archived from the original on 22 March 2025. Retrieved 21 March 2025.