Director Shanmugam Muthusamy Reveals He Received Death Threats While Investigating the Petrol-Diesel Mafia for ‘Diesel’
SOURCE: IANS
Chennai, Oct 15 (TTP): Filmmaker Shanmugam Muthusamy, the writer and director of the upcoming Tamil thriller ‘Diesel’, has made a startling revelation — he received multiple death threats while investigating the intricate and dangerous network behind a petrol-diesel scam that inspired his film.
Speaking at a pre-release event, Muthusamy said his decade-long research into the subject uncovered shocking details about how a well-organized mafia siphons off and manipulates fuel supplies, directly affecting the common man.
The film, starring Harish Kalyan and Athulya Ravi in lead roles, is set to release on October 17, under the banner of Third Eye Entertainment.
The Spark Behind ‘Diesel’: A Real-Life Highway Incident
Muthusamy shared that the idea for Diesel struck him unexpectedly during a road trip nearly ten years ago.
“The spark for the story came from an incident that happened when I was travelling on the highway,” he recalled. “I had stopped to eat at a motel when I noticed young boys in their teens stealing bucketfuls of petrol and diesel from a tanker lorry parked nearby. That image stayed with me.”
Curious about what he had witnessed, the director began to dig deeper. What started as curiosity soon turned into a mission — one that exposed him to the dangerous underbelly of a multi-crore fuel racket operating across highways and supply chains.
“I Was Threatened and Chased” — A Risky Investigation
As Muthusamy delved further into the illicit network, he discovered just how risky such an investigation could be.
“The more I found out, the more I got shocked. As I started probing deeper, there were people who threatened me, some even chased me. When I began collecting details to make the film, I was issued death threats,” the director revealed during the event.
Despite these threats, Muthusamy continued his work, determined to turn his findings into a cinematic story that could make the public aware of the real-world implications of such scams.
Exposing a Scam That Impacts Every Common Citizen
The director emphasized that the fuel scam is not just a crime — it’s a daily reality that silently affects millions.
“I realised that if petrol prices increase by just Rs 2 per litre, our household budgets shoot up by Rs 5,000 to Rs 10,000 a month,” Muthusamy explained. “The public is directly impacted by this mafia, and I knew it was a story that needed to be told.”
He added that the film attempts to answer several pressing questions such as:
“To whom does the ill-gotten money go? How am I, as a common man, affected by this problem?”
According to Muthusamy, Diesel doesn’t just expose the issue — it also suggests possible solutions and accountability measures, making it both informative and thought-provoking.
A Star-Studded Cast and Strong Technical Crew
Apart from Harish Kalyan and Athulya Ravi, the film features a powerful ensemble cast including Vinay Rai, Sachin Khedekar, Sai Kumar, Ananya, Karunaas, Bose Venkat, Ramesh Tilak, Kaali Venkat, Vivek Prasanna, Zakir Hussain, Thangadurai, Maaran, KPY Dheena, and Apoorva Singh.
The film’s technical team brings together some of the industry’s best talents. The cinematography has been handled by M.S. Prabhu and Richard M. Nathan, editing by San Lokesh, and music composed by Dhibu Ninan Thomas — all of whom contribute to bringing the director’s real-life inspired vision to screen.
Produced by Third Eye Entertainment, Diesel is expected to combine hard-hitting realism with cinematic intensity, offering audiences a rare glimpse into one of India’s lesser-known but highly impactful scams.
A Film Rooted in Truth and Awareness
Muthusamy’s decade-long dedication to research reflects his passion for storytelling grounded in real-world relevance. The director’s journey to uncover the truth behind the fuel mafia not only exposed him to threats but also revealed how deeply such scams are interwoven into the nation’s economic fabric.
Industry insiders say Diesel could mark an important milestone in Tamil cinema’s social thriller genre, as it blends investigative realism with commercial storytelling.
Film critics and trade analysts have noted that the movie’s timely release comes when fuel prices and consumer costs continue to be national concerns — potentially resonating with audiences beyond just entertainment value.
The Larger Message
Diesel aims not only to entertain but also to ignite dialogue around corruption, exploitation, and the high price ordinary citizens pay for systemic fraud.
By bringing this hidden world to light, Muthusamy hopes to inspire change — or at least awareness — about how the economy and public are directly affected by fuel-related corruption.
Final Thoughts from TheTrendingPeople.com
With ‘Diesel’, director Shanmugam Muthusamy has turned a decade-long investigation into a cinematic exposé of truth and courage. His persistence, despite personal risk, highlights the power of storytelling to confront hidden corruption and raise public awareness.
As the film gears up for its theatrical release on October 17, it promises to be more than just another crime thriller — it stands as a testament to fearless filmmaking, driven by purpose and conviction.