Movie: Return of the Dragon
Rating: 2.5/5
Banner: AGS Entertainment (P) Ltd
Cast: Pradeep Ranganathan, Anupama Parameswaran, Kayadu Lohar, KS Ravi Kumar, Gautham Vasudev Menon, Sneha, Mysskin Vj Siddhu, Harshath Khan, Mariam George, Indhumathy Manigandan, Thenappan & Others
Story: Ashwath Marimuthu, Pradeep Ranganathan
Music: Leon James
DOP: Niketh Bommi
Editor: Pradeep E Ragav
Production Designer: V. Selva Kumar
Fights: Vicky & Dilip Subbarayan
Producers: Kalpathi S Aghoram, Kalpathi S Ganesh, Kalpathi S Suresh
Written and Directed by: Ashwath Marimuthu
Release Date: Feb 21, 2025
Pradeep Ranganathan, the talented young Tamil actor, made a strong impression with his previous film, Love Today. His latest film has generated curiosity for this reason.
Let’s explore its strengths and weaknesses.
Story:
Raghavan (Pradeep Ranganathan), nicknamed "Dragon", and behaves likes a bad guy during his engineering years, turns to fraud after breaking up with his girlfriend, Keerthy (Anupama Parameswaran).
Determined to prove that he can achieve greater success than her husband, he enlists the help of a consultancy that provides him with a fake degree and helps him secure a job through a fraudulent interview.
Despite lacking a legitimate engineering degree, Raghavan excels in his field. Impressed by his remarkable career growth, a prominent industrialist arranges a marriage alliance between Raghavan and his daughter, Pallavi (Kayadu).
However, his deception soon lands him in a precarious situation. His former college principal discovers that he secured the job through fraudulent means.
The principal gives him an ultimatum—either complete all his pending examinations and earn a legitimate degree or risk being exposed before his employer and fiancée.
Will Raghavan find a way out of this dilemma? Will he choose the right path this time?
Artistes’ Performances:
Pradeep Ranganathan is his usual self. While his portrayal of a college student and the so-called jokes fall flat, he delivers a more natural performance in his later role as a software professional. However, despite being known for his impeccable comic timing, he brings nothing new to this role or the film. His inconsistent characterization makes him appear somewhat confused.
Anupama Parameswaran appears briefly, first as a college student and later as a lecturer, but fails to leave a significant impact in either role. Kayadu Lohar looks beautiful but has limited screen time.
Mysskin, as the college principal, not only gets an extended role but also delivers an impressive performance. George Maryan, as Pradeep's father, shines in a few well-written sequences.
Technical Excellence:
The film boasts high production values. While the songs don’t resonate much in Telugu, the overall cinematography and production design exude richness. The Telugu dialogues are decent.
Highlights:
Pradeep Ranganathan’s scenes
Climax
The message of the film
Drawback:
The boring middle part
Lack of sufficient entertainment
Analysis
Pradeep Ranganathan, who gained acclaim with his previous film Love Today, stars in a project that aligns with his on-screen image, portraying a young man who strays down the wrong path in life. Love Today had universal appeal, with Pradeep’s humor and performance resonating with both younger audiences and the general viewers. The film's theme was contemporary and accessible.
However, with Return of the Dragon, there is considerable confusion. Director Ashwath Marimuthu succeeds only to a certain extent. He fails to present the story in an engaging manner, and the narration lacks consistency.
While the film delivers a commendable message, the storytelling falls short. The director follows a conventional approach in depicting college life, with humor that is just passable. He also relies on social media reels and YouTube stars for comedy, which may appeal to Tamil audiences but does not work at all in the Telugu version.
Despite a few enjoyable sequences, the first half of the film feels sluggish. However, the interval block and the twist create intrigue. Unlike the first half, the second half has more substance and a structured narrative. The final thirty minutes, which follow a storytelling framework similar to Aamir Khan’s 3 Idiots, effectively capture the audience’s interest.
The film works primarily in its latter half. The sequences involving consultancy firms issuing fake certificates, the hero’s anxiety about background checks, and the tension he undergoes feel relevant and relatable. Some heartfelt moments between Anupama and Pradeep also stand out. A key highlight of the film is when Pradeep encounters a bright but underprivileged student at his home and realizes the gravity of his mistakes.
This leaves us wondering—when the climax is so emotionally impactful and the final thirty minutes carry such weight, why didn’t the director handle the earlier sequences in a more engaging manner?
Despite its routine elements, slow pacing, and inconsistencies, Return of the Dragon ultimately works due to its core message and emotional climax.
Overall, Return of the Dragon is a passable youthful drama with its moments, but viewers should not expect the same level of humor as in Pradeep Ranganathan’s previous work.
Bottom-line: Message Oriented
