Dragon (2025), beyond the college walls

After the blockbuster success of Love Today (2022), expectations were high for Pradeep Ranganathan‘s next film. Dragon (2025), directed by Ashwath Marimuthu, not only met those expectations but exceeded them. This film, targeted at the youth audience, blends love, breakups, failure, success, and morality into an engaging narrative. MangoIdiots is happy to give it a Ripe.

Watching the trailer, I assumed it would be a typical college drama with gang fights, love stories, and long speeches against management. However, the film turned out to be something entirely different. It begins at the end of school, where the hero’s friend suggests shortening his name from “D Raghavan” to “Dragon” by dropping “ava” (Tamil for “that girl”). What follows is the transformation of a studious school student into a struggling engineering college dropout with 48 arrears. With no degree and no direction in life, he drifts aimlessly. The story revolves around his attempts to succeed and whether his success lasts. Along the way, there are some interesting turns and two enjoyable love stories.

The first half maintains a brisk pace, thanks to sharp editing that avoids unnecessary sequences. The songs “Rise of Dragon” and “Yendi Vittu Pona,” composed by Leon James, are hummable and fit well within the film’s mood.

Pradeep Ranganathan has cemented his place as a youth love hero, showing significant improvement in his acting since Love Today. His performance in a scene where he struggles to come up with an excuse while talking to the heroine from Mumbai Airport was especially commendable, using body language to express his anguish. However, his near-constant on-screen smoking was excessive—I almost felt like coughing by the end of the movie! Hopefully, he reduces or avoids it in future films.

The two female leads, Anupama Parameswaran (Kodi 2016 fame) and Kayadu Lohar, played their roles well. Kayadu Lohar was particularly striking, reminding me of Abirami in some scenes and Andrea Jeremiah in others. Mysskin, as the college principal, delivered an unusual yet effective performance, different from the usual portrayals in college dramas. Gautham Vasudev Menon, K. S. Ravikumar, and others had limited screen time. However, the standout performance came from George Maryan, who played the hero’s father. His brief but deeply emotional performance in the climax left many in the theatre teary-eyed, highlighting a father’s unconditional love.

Anyone who has been through college, exams, and failures will find something relatable in this film. While there is some exaggeration in the heroism, love, and success, it can be excused as part of the romantic genre. Just before the climax, the film delivers a big twist that initially felt off from an entertainment perspective. However, my friends liked it, and upon reflection, I appreciated how the director used it to deliver a responsible and powerful message about the importance of hard work and education—kudos to him.

Dragon will be available on Netflix later, but I recommend watching it in theatres for the full experience.

Footnote: I was surprised to see “phoolon ki chadar” (a sheet of flowers for the bride) shown in this movie, especially in a South Indian Wedding.