The Case Diary Movie Review, Story Box Office and Budget

 

 The Case Diary is a Malayalam investigation thriller film released on 21 August 2025. It is directed by Dileep Narayanan and written by A. K. Santhosh. The movie is produced by K. V. Abdul Nasar under the banner of Benzy Productions. The lead role is played by Ashkar Saudan as CI Christian Sam. Other important actors include Sakshi Agarwal, Rahul Madhav, Riyaz Khan, and Vijayaraghavan.

 The story of the movie follows CI Christian Sam, who is asked to solve a mysterious murder case of a man named Aju. As he begins the investigation, the case becomes more complicated. He finds many clues and faces many challenges while searching for the real truth. The movie tries to show suspense, emotions, and the journey of a police officer who is committed to justice. The plot has good moments, but sometimes it feels slow and predictable.

 On the performance side, Ashkar Saudan has done a strong job as the lead officer. His acting is serious and fits well with the character. Sakshi Agarwal and the supporting cast also give solid performances. The direction by Dileep Narayanan is decent, but some scenes could have been sharper. The technical side, like camera work by P. Sukumar and editing by Lijo Paul, adds quality to the film. Music by Vishnu Mohan Sithara and 4 Musics supports the mood, but songs are not very memorable.

 When it comes to reviews, critics have given mixed opinions. Some liked the investigation style and acting, while others felt the screenplay was weak. The audience response in theatres has also been low. The movie could not connect with a wide audience because the storyline was not very fresh. For comparison, other 2025 films like Baaghi 4, Paradha, and Jolly LLB 3 opened much stronger at the box office.

 Talking about collections, the film had a poor start. On Day 1, it collected only about ₹5 lakh (India net). The total worldwide collection so far is just around ₹6 lakh. Compared to the budget, which is estimated between ₹4–10 crore, this is a very small number. Because of this, the movie is already marked as a flop. At the same time, movies like Thalavara, Andaaz 2, and Bun Butter Jam performed better in their openings.

 The Case Diary is a film with good performances and a serious attempt at suspense, but weak writing and poor collections make it an average watch. While films like Indra, Maareesan, Mass Jathara, and Hari Hara Veera Mallu kept some buzz alive in cinemas, The Case Diary sadly failed to create impact.