Dude, starring Pradeep Ranganathan in the lead role, was released in theaters on October 17, 2025. Directed by debutant Keertheeswaran, the film stars Mamita Baiju, R. Sarathkumar, Hrudu Haroon, Rohini and many others in lead roles.
After the theatrical release, the film is now available for streaming on OTT platform Netflix. If you are planning to watch the movie this week, here is Pinkvilla’s review.
plot
Dude tells the story of Agan and Kural, cousins who share a close relationship and run an event-planning group called Surprise Dude. The organization arranges surprises for weddings, anniversaries and various other occasions, establishing their deep friendship.
After coming out of a relationship, Kural proposes to Agan, but she rejects him, saying that she only sees him as a relative and friend. However, after spending time apart, Agan realizes that she also has feelings for him. He then seeks approval from her father (his maternal uncle) and is ready to confess his feelings.
The story takes a turn when Kural realizes that she has moved on and is in love with Paari, who has also made her pregnant. Fearing that her father might harm her, her lover, or her unborn child, Agan offers to marry her and ensures that he will help the couple escape abroad, keeping them safe from her father.
How he succeeds in this mission despite struggling with his emotions is the central story of the film.
Good
Dude, while struggling to establish a solid narrative foundation, clearly stems from good intentions. Despite the strange dynamics of the relationship, the emotional core of the film provides an impactful and thought-provoking experience.
The attempt to present female characters beyond marital roles or stereotypical gender norms is laudable, though the execution falters.
In terms of technical aspects, Sai Abhyankar, as a budding composer in Tamil cinema, tries his best to deliver a suitable soundtrack. However, music becomes repetitive beyond a point, no matter the creative logic behind it.
Cinematography by Niketh Bommi of Soorarai Pottru fame is one of the strongest aspects of the film, adding freshness to the scenes despite being basically a half-baked idea.
bad
Dude and the word “subtlety” cannot exist in the same world, and the film doesn’t even attempt to bridge that gap. Every frame, especially the ones involving Pradeep Ranganathan, feels like an amateurish attempt to make a rising star a superstar. This is difficult to achieve when the source material itself is trite and dull.
Leaving aside the strange relationship between the cousins, the characters are presented so thinly that the film often feels like a two-hour compilation of Tamil soap operas.
The emotional connections between characters are clumsily placed, resulting in no rapport being built, no matter how relevant the characters’ personal losses are.
As the film progresses, a lot remains incomplete due to weak writing and poor execution. Adding over-the-top humor, exaggerated expressions, and heavy plot armor involving “the hero saves the damsel in distress” leads to something very stale, especially considering the sensitive topics at its center.
From a technical standpoint, the editing could have minimized the amateurish storytelling and eliminated many forced “heroic” moments that did nothing for the audience.
Display
Although Dude is meant to be the story of two individuals caught in a love triangle that also involves an unexpected pregnancy, it often forgets this and instead becomes a film focused almost entirely on Agan, played by Ranganathan.
Pradeep has often been criticized for copying Rajinikanth and Dhanush in his films. However, in Dude, he seems to be copying his performances from earlier ventures like Love Today and Dragon.
There are moments when his performance is entertaining and creates atmosphere, but most of the time, it feels repetitive and dull.
While Mamita Baiju has given her best performance as Kural, R. Sarathkumar shines as the main antagonist, although surprises from his performance are minimal as his portrayal follows the familiar pattern.
Watch the trailer of Dude:
Decision
Dude is a half-baked idea that suffers from poor narration and rushed gimmicks. If you enjoy films with interesting original concepts despite flawed execution, watch this one on OTT. Otherwise, it is better to leave it.
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not reflect the official policy or position of Pinkvilla. Any statements made in this article are not intended to defame, harm, or discredit any person or entity.
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