'First Deepavali release has made Diesel more special for us'
Actors Harish Kalyan and Athulya Ravi were at the DT Next office to talk about their first Deepavali release, Diesel. Harish Kalyan says that the film is apt for him to step into the action zone, while Athulya opens up on playing a lawyer named Sowbarnika
Harish Kalyan and Athulya Ravi
CHENNAI: Harish Kalyan has always been a favourite for many in our premise, and the fan base has only gotten bigger this time as he had to acknowledge for larger number of photo ops after his previous outings, Lubber Pandhu and Parking, have made him amass a huge fan base.
Coming to Diesel, the trailer showed Harish Kalyan in a lot of action sequences and also in a few larger-than-life scenes. “When director Shanmugam narrated the story to me, I asked him how he saw me playing this role.
However, I never felt like I was venturing out of my comfort zone because I have done so in my previous films. In Parking, I played a married young man; in Lubber Pandhu, I was a cricket enthusiast. For Diesel, Shanmugam was looking for a hero who could step into the action zone. The story too was compelling as it revolved around petrol and diesel, and the mafia behind it,” he says.
Harish is known to take up scripts that are closer to the audience’s everyday life. “Exactly. That is where my choice of scripts comes into play. They should be able to relate to what I do. We go to the petrol bunk every day, fill the vehicle’s tanks and pay money. But Diesel will tell them what more is there behind and how it plays in deciding the prices that they pay for. I was also cautious that I am not stepping into the action zone just for the sake of it. The content is equally strong,” he adds.
Athulya plays Sowbarnika, a lawyer in the movie. “I was at a point in time of my career where I was looking for content-oriented roles. That is when I landed Diesel. It is beyond Harish’s love interest and how she carries the story forward. I play Sowbarnika, a lawyer in the film who helps the hero in his cause, and it is a film of larger scale in my career as well,” she remarks.
Having started his career 15 years ago, Harish has been a part of 17 films so far. “But Deepavali releases are always special. This is my first Deepavali release as well. The director and the producer showed faith in me, and we decided that Deepavali will be the right occasion to release Diesel, and here we are,” he says with a smile.
Athulya has been having a dream run in 2025 with the releases of Chennai City Gangsters and now Diesel. “Though we completed the projects a few months ago, Deepavali comes across as the right release window. I have another upcoming release in the next two or three months, and I have always been excited for all these projects,” the actor remarks.
Harish Kalyan’s films are not solely focused on the hero but also on other characters. “That would make the premise interesting. In Diesel, Sai Kumar plays my dad, and Vinay plays a cop.
These characters will make the film fascinating. Moreover, Diesel is also high on technical aspects. Dhibu’s music is a hit already with Beer Song and Dillubaru Aaja. San Lokesh has edited and kept it crisp for 140 minutes,” concludes Harish before he joins Athulya to wish our readers a very happy Deepavali.
