Pradeep Ranganathan's latest flick Dragon, directed by Ashwath Marimuthu, has won the hearts of just about everyone who's seen it. Yes, it's a coming of age drama, which sounds like a tired old trope, but in reality Dragon manages to do a whole lot more than just feel like a rehashing of things we've seen before. It's genuinely good at making the youth - and let's be honest, the rest of us too - feel something.
The story centres around D. Raghavan, aka 'Dragon', a college dropout with 48 engineering arrears, who talks his way into a pretty sweet corporate deal. Anyways, things get going in earnest when his past catches up with him and he has to deal with the fallout of his dodgy ways - and the fact that he's been pretending he's all sorted. The second half of the film is where things really take off.
The general consensus is that the first half is a fun, if a bit predictable, romp through college life, showing off Dragon's 'bad boy' ways. But it's not until the second half that director Marimuthu, perhaps best known for Oh My Kadavule, really finds his stride. He's penned a screenplay that delivers a powerful message about the importance of education, honesty and parental sacrifice - but without ever feeling like your mother is telling you what to do.
Pradeep Ranganathan, the man behind Love Today, is just fantastic as the not-quite-so-flawless-but-still kinda mean Dragon. He manages to get across the highs and lows of a guy who's been forced to do some serious soul-searching. The big difference here is that Dragon's got real consequences to deal with, and that lends the story a much-needed bit of gravity. The film's climax is just blissfully wholesome and impactful, and gives you this lovely sense of closure after Dragon's transformation.
The supporting cast is great too, especially Mysskin who shows off his chops as the college principal. The college principal is actually a highlight of the film, and the way Dragon's constant run-ins with him play out is just quality stuff. The film largely avoids resorting to a bunch of worn out cliches like love triangles, and instead focuses on Dragon's journey to becoming a better person. I mean Leon James' music doesn't half hurt either, it just adds so much to the film.
So yeah, Dragon is just a solid film all round - it's funny, entertaining, and actually gives you something to feel good about too. The film promises you'll have a great time, and delivers, while also laying down a bit of a message about being accountable and not trying to cheat your way through life. It's a great follow up for Pradeep Ranganathan too, cementing his status as a serious actor with some serious cred.