Pradeep Ranganathan-starrer Dude may have grossed Rs 100 Cr at the box office, but it will remain one of the most polarizing movies from Kollywood. Many in their 30s and 40s are extremely unhappy with the movie, directed by Keerthiswaran. "After watching Dude, I feel mine was the last generation to experience the sanctity of marriage. The gazillion terms for sleeping around hadn't even entered the public lexicon. If you were born in the 80s or before, consider yourself lucky," wrote Karthik Balachandran, a doctor.
The film, co-starring Mamitha Baiju and R Sarathkumar, has been panned for a variety of reasons. On Reddit, the film's portrayal of unplanned pregnancy as a casual, solvable issue with pro-choice undertones has been criticized. "Dude uses humor to normalize choices like abortion or non-traditional childbirth," a movie buff wrote.
Dude has been labeled "problematic" and "disgusting" for normalizing casual sex, blurred familial boundaries, and "cuckoldry"; it has also been accused of promoting "enjoyment without responsibility."
The script of Dude was initially declined by Pradeep Ranganathan. He came on board upon repeated urgings by its director.
