Bison Kaalamaadan is a 2025 Indian Tamil-language coming-of-age sports action drama film written and directed by Mari Selvaraj. It is jointly produced by Sameer Nair, Deepak Seigal, Pa. Ranjith and Aditi Anand under Applause Entertainment and Neelam Studios. The film stars Dhruv Vikram in the lead role alongside an ensemble cast featuring Pasupathy, Ameer, Lal, Anupama Parameswaran, Rajisha Vijayan and Azhagam Perumal. The film was officially announced in December 2020 under the tentative title DV03, as it is Dhruv's third film as a lead actor, and the official title was announced in May 2024. Principal photography commenced the same month in Chennai and wrapped by mid February 2025. The film has music composed by Nivas K. Prasanna, cinematography handled by Ezhil Arasu K and editing by Sakthi Thiru. Bison Kaalamaadan was released on 17 October 2025, coinciding with Diwali. The film received positive reviews from critics and audience. == Cast == Dhruv Vikram as Kittan Pasupathy as Velusamy Ameer as Pandiaraja Lal as Kandasamy Anupama Parameswaran as Raani Rajisha Vijayan as Raaji Azhagam Perumal as Kandippan K. Prapanjan as Rathinam Aruvi Madhan as Santhanraj Anurag Arora as Vishwesh Singh Vishwadev Rachakonda as Dharan == Production == === Development === In March 2020, Dhruv Vikram, who debuted as an actor with Adithya Varma (2019), was reported to star in the lead role of Mari Selvaraj's directorial venture after Karnan (2021). E4 Entertainment, which produced Dhruv's debut film, would reportedly fund the venture. On 31 December, the collaboration of Dhruv and Mari was publicly announced through their respective social media accounts, tentatively titled DV03. A few days later, Pa. Ranjith announced he would produce the project under his banner Neelam Studios. Ranjith also funded Mari's directorial debut Pariyerum Perumal (2018). Mari stated, "The film is based on the life story of a sportsperson and this is going to showcase their lives in a raw and lively manner which has not been shown in Tamil cinema before". In April 2023, he said it was based on the life of the kabaddi player Manathi Ganesan, but a year later, said it was completely fictional. Production was set to begin after Dhruv completed filming for Mahaan (2022), as sports training was needed for his character. In the meantime, Mari began working on Maamannan (2023). Dhruv began training by late August 2021, as he had completed filming for Mahaan. In 2023, reports claimed that the venture was shelved. However, Mari confirmed that works was still ongoing. On 12 March 2024, Applause Entertainment were announced to jointly fund the venture, and Anupama Parameswaran was announced in the lead female role. The film's official title, Bison Kaalamaadan, was announced on 6 May. The technical crew, consisting of composer Nivas K. Prasanna, cinematographer Ezhil Arasu K, editor Sakthi Thiru, art director Kumar Gangappan, action director Dhilip Subbarayan, costume designer Aegan Ekambaram and publicity designer Kabilan Chelliah, were announced by the production house's on the same day. Ahead of the film's release, Mari expressed regret for titling the film in English, saying he had been requested to do so by the producers to increase the film's reach. === Casting === === Filming === Principal photography began with the first schedule on 6 May 2024 with an inaugural puja at a film city in Chennai. The first schedule concluded in late June. By September, filming was 75% complete, with the remaining shooting to take place either at the end of the year or early 2025. One scene required Rajisha to jump into water, and she agreed despite her poor swimming skills. She almost drowned but was rescued by the crew. Filming wrapped on 17 February 2025. == Music == The music and background score are composed by Nivas K. Prasanna, in his first collaboration with both Dhruv and Mari. The first single "Theekkoluthi" was released on 1 September 2025. The second single "Rekka Rekka" was released on 16 September 2025. The third single "Cheenikkallu" was released on 23 September 2025. The fourth single "Thennaadu" was released on 2 October 2025. The fifth single "Kaalamaadan Gaanam" was released on 9 October 2025. The album received rave reviews towards listeners who praised Nivas K Prasanna's composition and considered as a stand out album in his career. == Release == === Theatrical === Bison Kaalamaadan was theatrically released on 17 October 2025, coinciding with Diwali. The film is distributed by Five Star K. Senthil in Tamil Nadu. === Home media === The post-theatrical streaming rights were bought by Netflix. == Reception == === Critical response === Roopa Radhakrishnan of The Times of India gave 3.5/5 stars and wrote "First things first, Bison is not among its director's finest works. But the film, based on the life of kabaddi player Manathi Ganesan, is still effective and bears the signature stamp of its accomplished creator. [...] Bison, despite its flaws, is meaningful, ambitious and gripping." Goutham S of Pinkvilla gave 3.5/5 stars and wrote "While Bison may not reach the heights of Karnan or Maamannan, it remains an impressive work from director Mari Selvaraj. Its socially relevant storyline resonates even in today's world, making it a compelling and thought-provoking watch." Avinash Ramachandran of Cinema Express gave 3/5 stars and wrote "Bison is a terrific exploration of the aftermath of violence and its unsettling consequences in the minds of the young and easily influenced." Janani K of India Today gave 3/5 stars and wrote "'Bison' is a powerful story about caste politics and systemic oppression in a sports setup. The film is a solid addition to Mari Selvaraj's repertoire of work." Saibal Chatterjee of NDTV gave 3/5 stars and wrote "Dhruv Vikram demonstrates sustained patience and skill in capturing the arduous journey of Kittan. [...] Mari Selvaraj blends two dimensions of his film - sport and life as reflections of each other - and brings them alive in fascinating unison. Bison Kaalamaadan hits home with the coiled-up force of a muscular beast that never loses sight of its target." Anusha Sundar of OTT Play gave 3/5 stars and wrote "Bison upholds the filmography of Mari Selvaraj, and becomes a powerful commentary about the politics within the sports sphere. There is an undeniable truthfulness that the film offers, despite Bison being a film that takes its time to connect and resonate." Arjun Menon of The Indian Express gave 2.5/5 stars and wrote "Bison is a quintessential Mari Selvaraj film, albeit one slightly softened for the masses. Here, the filmmaker seeks to bridge his distinct political voice with his growing interest in accessible storytelling. Yet, Bison stands tall among his works, a fierce, deeply felt story powered by a career-defining performance from Dhruv Vikram." Bhuvanesh Chandar of The Hindu wrote "Mari’s most commercially conventional film yet is a politically razor-sharp and tonally strong social sports drama that hits the bullseye every step of the way." === Box office === In India, Bison was released alongside Dude and Diesel. It opened to ₹2.30 crore (US$270,000) domestically, becoming the second highest opening among the releases. == References == == External links == Bison at IMDb Bison at Rotten Tomatoes