A ‘Coming of Age’ Tale with a Questionable Arc
Ashwath Marimuthu’s Dragon is likely to be labeled a ‘coming of age’ film—a term that Kollywood now generously applies to stories about deeply flawed male protagonists who are eventually portrayed as martyrs, simply for making late attempts at redemption.
A Frivolous Yet Entertaining Ride
At its core, Dragon is a lighthearted film that sticks to Kollywood’s tried-and-tested message padam formula. The jokes land well, keeping the audience engaged, and the film is peppered with cameos and callbacks to popular Tamil movies. A pleasant surprise is lead actor Pradeep Ranganathan, who, while still playing another average and toxic male protagonist, at least gets a marginally better character arc this time.
Meet ‘Dragon’: A Hero with 48 Arrears and Zero Accountability
Pradeep stars as Raghavan Dhanapal, aka ‘Dragon’—a college student notorious for terrorizing professors, skipping classes, and failing 48 engineering subjects. He financially exploits his friends, girlfriend, and even his parents. When his girlfriend Keerthi (Anupama Parameswaran) breaks up with him, he commits fraud to secure a high-paying job—just to spite her. His descent into delinquency starts in school, when he learns that his crush prefers ‘bad boys.’
Misogyny, Mass Scenes, and Convenient Redemption
The bulk of Dragon focuses on Raghavan’s eventual reckoning. However, his path to redemption is packed with regressive ‘mass scenes’ and misogynistic dialogues that, unfortunately, still draw cheers from the audience. Meanwhile, the weak accountability he offers to the women he has wronged is met with silence.
Pradeep’s Dhanush-Like Presence
Pradeep seems to be fully embracing his uncanny resemblance to Dhanush—a resemblance that was widely discussed during Love Today’s success. His mannerisms, body language, and comedic timing all echo a younger Dhanush. While he lacks Dhanush’s emotional range, he does well in portraying the highs and lows of his character—particularly the lows. His most unscrupulous moments are where his comic timing shines best.
Supporting Cast & Clever Cameos
VJ Sidhu and Harshath Khan, known for VJ Sidhu Vlogs, play key supporting roles. Sidhu delivers his signature one-liners as Anbu, Raghavan’s long-suffering friend, while Harshath plays ‘Kutty’ Dragon, an eccentric college junior.
Cameo appearances from Mysskin, Sneha, director KS Ravikumar, and even Ashwath Marimuthu himself are strategically placed to push the story forward, rather than being mere fan-service. One of these cameos even sets up an interesting interval block.
Music: Star Singers, Forgettable Tracks
Leon James’ soundtrack relies heavily on the fame of its singers. Silambarasan’s Yein di Vittu Ponna is a fittingly sexist track, while Anirudh’s Rise of Dragon and Sid Sriram’s Vazhithunaiye offer familiar beats. The only song that seamlessly blends with the film’s events is Gana Apellow’s Maatikkinaaru Orutharu.
Final Verdict
Despite its moments of humor and entertainment, Dragon remains a textbook example of a Kollywood ‘coming of age’ film that glorifies problematic protagonists. If someone claims that Raghavan’s misogyny is called out in the film, just ask them who the closing cameo is.
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