Dragon, the coming-of-age comedy directed by Ashwath Marimuthu and starring Pradeep Ranganathan, has crossed the ₹100 crore mark worldwide at the box office, just 10 days after its release on February 21. Despite receiving mixed reviews from both critics and audiences, the film has proven to be a commercial success.
Director Ashwath Marimuthu, known for his 2020 rom-com Oh My Kadavule, celebrated this milestone on Instagram, expressing gratitude for the audience’s support. “100 crore thanks for all the love you have given my team #dragon,” he wrote. Reflecting on the challenges before the film’s release, he added, “Personally, when some tried to break my confidence before release ‘Nanga irukom pathukalam,’ thanks to all of you. I will correct the mistakes in this film and promise to deliver my next with all my heart.” This achievement marked Ashwath’s first film to reach the ₹100 crore milestone.
He also congratulated Pradeep Ranganathan for his second ₹100 crore success. Pradeep, who made his directorial debut with Comali in 2019, earned his first ₹100 crore with his acting and directorial debut in Love Today (2022), which was later remade in Hindi as Loveyapa. He is now set to star in Vignesh Shivan’s Love Insurance Kompany.
As for the film’s box office performance, Dragon (released in Telugu as Return of the Dragon) opened with ₹6.5 crore in India and went on to gross ₹50.3 crore net in its first week. In 10 days, early estimates show it earned ₹72.5 crore net in India, and according to trade reports, it crossed ₹95 crore globally within 9 days.
The film follows the story of D Ragavan Dhanapal, also known as Dragon, a man living aimlessly after leaving college. His life takes a turn after experiencing heartbreak, and just as he begins to clean up his life, his past resurfaces. Dragon also stars Anupama Parameswaran and Kayadu Lohar in lead roles, with George Maryan, KS Ravikumar, and Gautham Vasudev Menon in key supporting roles.
