Dheeran Movie Review: Veteran ensemble keeps this bumpy ride on course

Dheeran is a film that aims to blend old-school humour with a gently satirical look at village life. Devadath Shaji, in his directorial debut, fills the story with funny situations and quirky characters, bringing together a colourful bunch on a journey that feels both chaotic and charming. While it promises a wild adventure and only partly delivers on that promise, the film remains watchable thanks to its lively cast and the sporadic laughter they spark.

Director: Devadath Shaji

Cast: Rajesh Madhavan, Jagadish, Ashokan, Sudheesh, Manoj K Jayan, Shabareesh Varma, Abhiram Radhakrishnan, Aswathy Manoharan

The film opens on a darker note as Eldhose (Rajesh Madhavan) and his companion Suhail are shown meeting Abubacker (Vineeth), a quirky and unpredictable gangster in Tamil Nadu. The tone is tense, and it quickly becomes clear that Eldhose has been sent on a dangerous mission. This thread is then left hanging as the narrative shifts to Malayattoor, Eldhose’s hometown, where news breaks that he has died in a factory fire. Though once celebrated as “Dheeran” for an act of childhood bravery, Eldhose had fallen out of favour after getting entangled in a scandalous relationship with Suramya (an impressive Aswathy Manoharan). Their secret intimacy was exposed, and their mothers rushed to marry them off. The film deserves credit for how it normalises casual intimacy and situationships in a rural setting without excessive moral judgement, giving their romance a refreshing frankness. Eldhose, unwilling to go through with it, ran away from home and never looked back. Years later, his supposed death shocks the villagers. Panchayat president Abbas (Jagadish) steps up to organise a trip to bring his body back from Tamil Nadu. Travelling with him are Kunjumon (Ashokan), a lifelong bachelor now hoping to find love, Joppan (Sudheesh), a kleptomaniac whose antics often derail the group's plans, Aruvi (Manoj K Jayan), a welder simmering with unresolved heartbreak, Spineesh (Shabareesh Varma), the chirpy ambulance driver, and Dixson (Abhiram Radhakrishnan), a local singer and Eldhose’s brother-in-law. What follows is a road trip filled with grudges and slapstick disasters.

The biggest strength of Dheeran is clearly its cast. Veteran actors from Malayalam cinema’s golden comedy era bring their experience and comic rhythm to the screen. Jagadish plays Abbas with understated control that helps ground the group during moments of chaos. Ashokan is superb as the hopelessly romantic Kunjumon, especially when he blurts out to Sathi (an effective Vijaya Sadan) that he hopes to be the grandfather of the baby Suramya is carrying. It is both absurd and oddly sweet and captures the tone of the film perfectly. The film also deserves appreciation for showing that Sathi is not opposed to this idea out of dislike, but because she fears the judgment of the society around her. With impeccable timing, Sudheesh is a standout, turning Joppan into an unpredictable force who steals things without even realising them and tends to reveal secrets at the most inappropriate times. Manoj K Jayan balances wounded pride with humour as Aruvi, particularly in a scene where he comes face to face with his runaway wife and the man she left with. Sabareesh Varma and Abhiram Radhakrishnan add youthful charm to the mix, making the generational contrasts in the group even more amusing. Rajesh Madhavan plays Eldhose with a quieter, more serious touch. He does not get many comic beats, but his presence lends some weight to the story's more personal arcs.

While Dheeran is watchable and often funny, it falls short of being the wild comedic ride it sets out to be. Several setups feel familiar, and some jokes arrive too early to land effectively. The second hour brings in a gangster subplot that tries to raise the stakes but feels rushed and undercooked. There are nods to classic Malayalam comedies, especially from the Siddique-Lal era, but the execution lacks their sharpness and surprise. Still, the film is carried by its veteran ensemble, whose timing and chemistry keep it afloat. For those who enjoy character-driven comedies with old grudges and oddball moments, Dheeran remains a journey worth taking, bumps and all.