Blast (2026), a flawed but refreshing female action film

Blast is hyperbolic and unrealistic in many places, but it earns its keep with something Kollywood rarely delivers: a female-led fight against a cause that goes beyond victimhood. Mangoidiots rates it Ripe.

The film revolves around a family of four. Arjun Sarja plays a Karate master who trains his daughter Nila, played by Preity Mukundhan, in the same discipline. Nila grows into a fearless young woman who confronts wrongdoing wherever she finds it. For a Kollywood audience accustomed to seeing this rebel-hero archetype played by men, a young female lead in that role feels genuinely refreshing. The screenplay, to its credit, does not dwell on crimes against women as its central theme. Instead, it takes on a larger cause: the powerful exploiting the environment.

The film opens well. A young girl learning Karate from her father makes for an engaging start, and as she grows into an adult, the action sequences feel fresh. Then the first half loses its footing. An honest police officer, a merciless killer, corporate harassment, a corrupt minister, and street gangs all jostle for screen time without much coherence. Fortunately, the second half picks up pace and pulls the threads together reasonably well. Many connections still feel artificial, and characters are conveniently placed, but the silliness gets forgiven when Preity and Abhirami take centre stage for the fight sequences.

Arjun Sarja has a couple of fight scenes, but the film clearly belongs to Preity Mukundhan, who commands the screen throughout. Debut director Subhash K Raj deserves credit for writing such a strong female lead. He was an assistant director on Love Today (2022). Going forward, it will serve him well to focus on writing more believable characters. Too many moments in the screenplay feel unrelatable to the audience, and that remains the film’s biggest weakness.

Arjun Chidambaram, as the ruthless killer, handles his action scenes brilliantly. The main villain, Varun, played by John Kokken, is let down by thin writing and deserves a stronger character. Music director Ravi Basrur uses English tracks for the fight sequences. They work initially but quickly become repetitive.

Blast is a flawed but sincere effort. Its scattered first half and convenient plot connections will test your patience, but the strong female performances and the choice to prioritise a broader social cause over a narrow victimhood narrative make it worth watching.