Pradeep Ranganathan’s latest film Dude, directed by debutant Keerthiswaran, released in theatres on October 17 as a Diwali special and continues to perform strongly at the box office.
Despite receiving mixed reviews, the film has become a blockbuster. According to official updates from the production team, Dude has crossed ₹100 crores, making Pradeep Ranganathan the first South Indian actor to score a hat-trick of 100-crore films with his debut projects.
Recently, the Dude team hosted a success event, where director Keerthiswaran addressed the controversy surrounding a dialogue from the film “Why are you in a position like you’re from an adult movie?” His clarification has now gone viral online.
Keerthiswaran explained that he used the line to reflect how close friends often talk casually with each other. He said such language is common among childhood friends and is not meant to be offensive, especially when the characters share a deep bond.
However, his remarks have sparked mixed reactions. Many believe that, given Dude carries a strong social message about honour killing, the director should have been more mindful of sensitive dialogue that could be misinterpreted.
Critics suggest that even a single misplaced line can overshadow the film’s core message. Some feel Keerthiswaran included the line to appeal to the youth audience, but it backfired and drew heavy criticism.
Interestingly, a section of the audience thinks that if Keerthiswaran had not commented on the issue, the controversy might have gone unnoticed. His clarification, however, has turned into a trending topic on social media, with fans and critics actively debating the intent and impact of the dialogue.
