Dude Twitter review: Fans rate it as a mixed bag of Gen-Z romance, humour and missed potential

Dude Twitter review: The Tamil film Dude, directed by Keerthiswaran and starring Pradeep Ranganathan, has received mixed reactions on X.

Dude Twitter review: Tamil cinema’s latest romantic comedy, Dude starring Pradeep Ranganathan and Mamitha Baiju, has sparked a flurry of mixed reactions on social media. While some moviegoers praised the film’s youthful energy and performances, others felt it failed to maintain its charm beyond the first half.

Dude Twitter review: Dude is a romantic comedy directed by Keerthiswaran. It features Pradeep Ranganathan and Mamitha Baiju. While some enjoy its vibrant first half, others criticise the second half.

Fans give a mixed bag of reviews

Several users on X (formerly Twitter) compared Dude to Thalapathy Vijay’s 2001 romantic drama Shajahan, calling it the “Gen-Z version” of the classic. One reviewer wrote, “Thalapathy’s Shajahan movie’s Gen Z version (or 2k copy). 1st half is good, but 2nd half falls flat. The main enemies of the movie are music & editing, overall below average outing. 2/5.”

On the brighter side, fans of lead actor Pradeep Ranganathan were all praise for his performance, calling it “next-level.” Another tweet read, “Good movie. PR performance next level and Sai Abhyankkar’s soulful music, very good and interesting movie.” Many agreed that the first half was “engaging and youth-centric,” packed with plenty of “Pradeep Ranganathan-style moments” that kept audiences entertained.

However, a recurring sentiment was that Dude loses momentum after the interval. One reviewer summarised, “A mid rom-com with a fairly engaging first half but a lacklustre second half! Director Keerthiswaran sets up the film with potential but falters in the screenplay.”

A weak second half

Others echoed this, pointing out issues with editing, pacing, and lack of emotional depth. Not all reviews were forgiving, though. A few viewers didn’t hold back their disappointment. “Dude is an absolute disaster. No proper story, weak direction, dull performances. A total waste of time and money,” one harsh comment read. Another added, “Somehow #Dude didn’t work for me. Wafer-thin story and wasted opportunity, except for Sarathkumar and Sai Abhyankkar.”

Despite the criticism, there were some who found redeeming qualities in the humour and character chemistry. "PR’s style and combo with Mamitha is nice. Sarathkumar shines. Humour drives the narration to an extent, one time watch,” a tweet read.

About Dude

Dude is directed by Keerthiswaran and stars Pradeep Ranganathan and Mamitha Baiju in the lead roles, alongside Sarathkumar, Sai Abhyankkar, and Hridhu Haroon in supporting parts. Billed as a coming-of-age rom-com for the digital generation, the film follows a spirited youngster navigating love, friendship, and self-discovery in modern-day Chennai. With Sai Abhyankkar’s soulful music and a premise rich in youthful energy, Dude tries to capture the essence of Gen-Z romance, though, as Twitter shows, the results have left audiences divided.