Pradeep Ranganathan’s ‘LIK’ and ‘Dude’ Get Release Dates
The actor-director’s films will be released consecutively in September and October this year
Popular actor-director Pradeep Ranganathan is looking at two consecutive releases this year. Release announcements regarding his upcoming films, Dude and Love Insurance Kompany, were made on Monday.
Dude, his film with Malayalam actress Mamitha Baiju, is headed for a Diwali release in October, while LIK is set to be released on September 18. Directed by Keerthiswaran, Dude will co-star Sarathkumar, Hridhu Haroon, Niketh Bommi, and Rohini Molleti in significant roles. The makers made the release announcement along with two posters from the film featuring the lead actors. Dude has music by internet sensation Sai Abhyankkar.
LIK, on the other hand, is directed by Vignesh Shivan, and co-stars Krithi Shetty, SJ Suryah and Gouri Kishan. The film has music by Anirudh Ravichander, is produced by Nayanthara, and is presented by SS Lalit Kumar. Vignesh Shivan’s last directorial was the romantic comedy Kaathuvaakula Rendu Kaadhal (2022), an ensemble starring Vijay Sethupathi, Nayanthara and Samantha Ruth Prabhu.
Ranganathan is fresh from the success of Dragon, a campus comedy directed by Oh! My Kadavule (2020) fame Ashwath Marimuthu. The popular entertainer told the story of a college slacker who is forced to retake his arrears despite getting placed in a swanky job. The comedy drama co-starred Anupama Parameswaran, Mysskin, Kayadu Lohar, Gautam Vasudev Menon, and George Maryan, among others.
In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter India, Ranganathan delved into the tedious and somewhat thankless process of writing films. The Tamil star said that he's currently focusing only on his acting career.
“Writing is a difficult process,” he began, revealing that it took him one and a half years to write Comali (2019). “I was [working] in I.T [at the time] so each day I would come home, and I would write one page… I made it a habit.” Finally, many months and several drafts later, he was done. On the other hand, thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic, writing Love Today (2022) only took him one year. “Now, the next film I'm writing has taken me nearly two years... and I’ve just come to the interval block,” he explained, though emphasising that he doesn’t wish to be idle in the meantime. “I have this perk of being an actor currently, so let me use it. It is a job that gets me more recognition and love,” he said.