 "‘Return of the Dragon’ movie review: Pradeep Ranganathan-Ashwath Marimuthu's film is masterfully crafted by clever writing & impactful performances")
Star Cast: Pradeep Ranganathan, Anupama Parameswaran, Kayadu Lohar, Mysskin, Gautham Vasudev Menon, K. S. Ravikumar and George Maryan
Director: Ashwath Marimuthu
After garnering rave reviews and emerging as a blockbuster in its original Tamil version (21st February), director Ashwath Marimuthu’s (of Oh My Kadavule fame) Dragon is releasing in Hindi dubbed version in the theatres on 14th March with the title of Return of the Dragon. While the coming-of-age comedy-drama has struck the right chord among the audience, will it win the hearts in the northern part of the country? Let’s find out…
The story starts in 2014, where D Raghavan (Pradeep Ranganathan) is an exceptional student, who receives a gold medal in Computer Science. After this big achievement, he goes to his crush named Anjana and expresses his feelings. However, she rejects him and reveals that he likes Rambo, a personified bad-boy of their class.
Shattered by the rejection, Raghavan decides to transform himself from a good boy and an excellent student, who secured 96 per cent in 12th, to a bad boy in his college years and adopts the moniker Dragon.
Cut-to in 2020, Dean Mayilvahanan (Mysskin) of AGS college (who only admits students securing over 95 per cent) speaks about D Raghavan aka Dragon while addressing in the inaugural lecture and tells students to learn from this (2014-18 batch) student of what not to do in life.
He narrates how his notorious and indisciplined behaviour turned him into a rebellious student and made him leave the college with 48 arrears.
Dragon is now deceiving his parents that he is working in an IT firm and spends 8 hours daily in his best friend Anbu’s home smoking cigarettes, enjoying food, taking naps and watching Bigg Boss. Every month-end, he collects Rs 18 thousand from Anbu and other friends and gives his parents in the name of his job salary.
One day, his college-time girlfriend Keerthi (Anupama Parameswaran), whom he has been dating for six years, asks him to meet at a cafe. The girl reveals that she has opted for an arranged marriage and is settling down with a person, who is good by heart, handsome and earns Rs 1,20,000 monthly.
Shattered by Keerthi’s decision, Dragon decides to hunt a job which will pay him more than Rs 1,20,000 monthly. However, he doesn’t have a degree because of his 48 arrears. He goes to a firm, which makes fake degrees and gets one, paying them Rs 10 lakhs. They clear his rounds through proxy interviews and he gets placement in a US-based MNC, Lateral View, with an annual package of Rs 16 lakhs.
Dragon aka D Raghavan works sincerely in the firm and with his intelligence and dedication, he impresses everyone, including VP Vale Kumar (Gautham Vasudev Menon). He wins employee of the year continuously with good appraisals and promotions. He buys a lavish villa and a luxurious car and thus establishes himself as a top status-worthy.
Thenappan, who helped Dragon’s father Dhanapal during a financial crisis many times in the past, arranges for him to marry Pallavi (Kayadu Lohar), daughter of a USA-returned daughter of wealthy businessman Parasuram (KS Ravikumar).
As everything starts falling into place, Dragon encounters Dean Mayilvahanan, who knows that he got this job with a fake degree. Dean agrees that he won’t reveal this secret to his company’s VP or Pallavi and her parents, but he has to come to college and clear his 48 backlog arrears in three months. So, how will Dragon handle this task?
Director Ashwath Marimuthu has once again hit the ball out of the park with his impressive direction and compelling storytelling, which beautifully blends all the emotions in the right proportion.
Talking about the performances, Sandeep is brilliant as Dragon aka D Raghavan and shows his acting range by acing every emotion with finesse and ease. Anupama Parameswaran, Kayadu Lohar, Mysskin, Gautham Vasudev Menon and K. S. Ravikumar are superb in their impactful roles. Special mention to George Maryan as Dragon’s Dad Dhanapal, whose simplicity and innocence make a special place in everyone’s hearts.
On the whole, Dragon is a full-on entertainer with a good social message, which makes an impact without being preachy.
Rating: 3.5 (out of 5 stars)
Return of the Dragon is releasing on 14th March
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