Dragon (2025 film)

Dragon: A Tale of Transformation and Redemption

Imagine a story where a young man leaves college with 48 arrears but builds a successful life, only to face the harsh reality that he must return to clear his academic debts. This is the heart of Dragon, an upcoming Indian Tamil-language film directed by Ashwath Marimuthu and starring Pradeep Ranganathan.

The Plot Unfolds

Dragon follows D. Ragavan, a student who leaves college due to arrears but transforms into a rebellious figure known as ‘Dragon.’ Despite his academic struggles, he earns the respect of his peers and even lands a job with an impressive salary. However, his life takes a turn when he faces challenges that force him back into the very environment from which he fled.

A Journey Through Trials

While Dragon’s journey is filled with moments of triumph and success, it also includes setbacks and moral dilemmas. He visits an agency to procure a fake degree certificate but faces difficulties. His friend Anbu introduces him to Goutham, who reveals his own struggles with backlog arrears in college. Inspired by Goutham’s suggestion, Dragon embarks on a path that will test his integrity.

Emotional Manipulation and Consequences

In a pivotal scene, Dragon emotionally manipulates his father into selling their land to secure the fake degree certificate. He lands a job at Lateral View with an annual salary of Rs. 1,600,000 but faces the task of performing well despite his background in computer science.

Revelations and Redemption

Within three years, Dragon earns promotions and is slated for transfer to the USA, purchasing a villa and luxurious car. However, his old Dean Mayilvahanan discovers his fake degree certificate and forces him to return to college and clear his 48 backlog arrears within three months.

The Climax

Dragon struggles to adjust to college life, reconnects with an ex-girlfriend Keerthi, and lies about his whereabouts to maintain his deception. He uses a consultancy service to replace his answer sheet to pass an exam, clearing his backlog arrears. However, he discovers that another student, Venkat, had been cheated out of a spot at Google due to Dragon’s mistake, forcing him to confront the consequences of his actions on the eve of his marriage.

Final Confrontation and Resolution

Overwhelmed with regret, Dragon fakes his degree and exam results, getting sentenced to six months in prison. After serving his term, he is released and starts anew, working as a food delivery agent and restarting his studies. His transformation impresses Mayilvahanan, who offers his daughter Harini to marry Dragon.

Music and Production

The film’s music was composed by Leon James in his first collaboration with Pradeep Ranganathan and third with Ashwath Marimuthu after Oh My Kadavule and Ori Devuda. The album was preceded by three singles—’Rise of Dragon,’ ‘Vazhithunaiye,’ and ‘Yendi Vittu Pona’—before its release on 9 February 2025 under the Think Music label.

Release and Reception

Dragon was initially scheduled to be released theatrically on 14 February 2025, but was postponed to avoid a box-office clash with Vidaamuyarchi. It was released on 21 February 2025 in standard and EPIQ formats, clashing with Nilavuku En Mel Ennadi Kobam.

The film received positive reviews from critics. Harshini SV of The Times of India gave 4/5 stars and wrote ”Ashwath Marimuthu’s second outing is also a fun, emotional, and fully charged ride.’ Kirubhakar Purushothaman of News18 gave 4/5 stars and wrote ‘The genius of Ashwath’s writing is its thought-out screenplay structure. It raises despite its predictability.’ Avinash Ramachandran of The Indian Express gave 3.5/5 stars and wrote ‘With a terrific Pradeep Ranganathan in the lead, director Ashwath Marimuthu and his team have delivered a heavily preachy yet immensely entertaining film that knows its audience.’

Anusha Sundar of OTTPlay gave 3/5 stars and wrote ‘Dragon warrants for a theatre watch. There is enough and more for the audience of today’s age to get entertained and schooled at the same time.’ Janani K of India Today gave 3/5 stars and wrote ‘Dragon is a satisfying watch with minor shortcomings. Despite convenient writing, the screenplay keeps the story going with some interesting twists and turns.’

Bhuvanesh Chandar of The Hindu wrote ‘Ragavan’s story is a modern take, an antidote, to the countless Tamil college dramas with heroes proclaiming the swag with which young men should carry themselves.’ Latha Srinivasan of Hindustan Times wrote ‘Dragon is a film that is fun and entertaining with an underlying social message that is important at this point in time.’

Conclusion

Money is important but is money everything in life? Director Ashwath Marimuthu and Pradeep Ranganathan have aced this outing. Dragon is a film that challenges us to question our values and the paths we choose, reminding us that true success lies not just in material gains but in personal growth and integrity.