Five years after his successful debut, Oh My Kadavuley, director Ashwath Marimuthu has joined hands with his long-time friend, actor-director Pradeep Ranganathan, for Dragon, which is set to release in theatres on February 21. While the trailer depicts a reckless college-going protagonist, Ashwath clarifies, “It is just one side of the story. You haven't seen the repercussions Dragon/Ragavan (Pradeep) faces due to his devil-may-care attitude.”
Addressing criticisms which point to the glorification of a rebellious college student, Ashwath explains that he needs to depict something first to show that it is wrong. “The trailer has several scenes where Dragon shows no concerns about completing his degree. But you are yet to see what happens next,” he says. Ashwath describes Dragon as “a fantasy film without fantasy.” While his debut had divine intervention as part of its narrative, his latest film also hints at fantasy elements. “The ‘what if’ curiosity factor excites me while writing fantasy. I often think, what if I could skip the next two minutes of my life if I didn't want to be in it? Such questions lead me to imagine various possibilities,” he adds. The song 'Vazhithunaye' from Dragon has revived the foreign-location-song trend in Tamil cinema. Ashwath attributes the decline of this trend to a reduced fascination with exotic locations. “Back in the days of Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge and Vijay’s Minsara Kanna, western influences had not yet permeated our pop culture. There was a certain curiosity and fascination about telling a story abroad. Those songs had context—take 'Adhisayam' from Jeans, for example. Now, with increased foreign travel and greater exposure to Western culture, audiences prefer rooted and grounded films. In Dragon, I have a strong narrative justification for 'Vazhithunaye'. Also, being a GVM fan, my romantic pursuits have taken me to several countries,” he says. Gautham Vasudev Menon’s influence on Ashwath has been profound. “My 20s were driven by his films, they made me fall madly in love. His perspectives on love and the way he portrays women in his films have had a deep impact on me," says the director.
Apart from GVM, Dragon also has experienced director-turned-actors like KS Ravikumar and Mysskin. However, Ashwath denies feeling intimidated by their presence, instead choosing to harness their strengths. “They sincerely believed that, in front of the camera, they were actors first. Special mention to Mysskin sir—he allowed me to craft a unique character for him. He is an intellectual, and I have incorporated all his qualities into this role,” he shares. Regarding box office discussions among fans, Ashwath believes that numerical comparisons do not necessarily overshadow a director’s contributions. “As long as fans don’t resort to rude comments and only debate using numbers, I don’t mind. And who am I to tell them not to discuss box office figures? They weren’t the ones who started it—it was the makers who introduced box office updates to build anticipation around films and heroes. I don't think the audience judges a director based on his box office numbers,” he opines.
The director then goes on to delve into the themes of his upcoming film. "I have explored the idea of whether success is a relative or absolute term. Dragon/Ragavan, who has an inflated self-image due to his college popularity, receives a reality check. The film follows his journey of self-discovery and what he chooses to do next,” he says, before revealing how his perspective on love has evolved from Oh My Kadavuley to Dragon. Ashwath says, “Back then, I believed that love was not about logic but magic. Now, in Dragon, I believe love should be practical. Women should no longer tolerate men who neither provide nor make them feel secure, just for the sake of love."
Ashwath goes on to express gratitude for working with a long-time friend. “Pradeep is like a brother to me. That said, Dragon is not a product of our friendship. We wanted to collaborate but waited until our paths aligned, focusing on our individual careers. Dragon is where our paths finally intersect and I couldn't be happier,” he concludes.