Hero Pradeep Ranganathan: "Thrilled That ‘Dude’ Crossed ₹100 Crores, Grateful to the Telugu Audience for This Phenomenal Victory"
The latest Diwali blockbuster, 'Dude,' starring youth sensation Pradeep Ranganathan, has achieved a monumental milestone by crossing the ₹100 Crore collection mark worldwide. Produced by the prominent banner Mythri Movie Makers and marking the directorial debut of Keerthiswaran, the film—which also stars Mamitha Baiju and features Sarath Kumar in a crucial role—has been running to packed houses since its release on October 17th.
To celebrate this unprecedented success, the makers organized the 'Dude Blockbuster 100 Cr Journey Event.'
Pradeep Ranganathan Thanks the Audience
Hero Pradeep Ranganathan expressed his heartfelt gratitude to the fans, acknowledging that the film's success was a direct result of their support.
"I am here today to thank the Telugu audience because without their support, crossing ₹100 crores would have been impossible. The love you showed for my previous films like Love Today and Dragon has been surpassed by the affection you’ve given Dude. I will always be grateful for your support. My heartfelt thanks to every member of our team."
Producers Celebrate Pan-South Success
Producer Y. Ravi Shankar and SKN of Mythri Movie Makers praised the director and cast, highlighting the film’s achievement as a pan-South success.
Producer SKN:
"Mythri Movie Makers, who are behind films grossing over ₹2,000 crores, receive a blockbuster almost every month. It’s gratifying that Dude, released for Diwali, has become a Pan-South Blockbuster. Congratulations to Naveen Garu and Ravi Garu for adding another feather to their cap. It is very special for a director to achieve a ₹100 crore hit with their debut film. I felt the intensity of a Sukumar film while watching Dude."
SKN also welcomed Pradeep Ranganathan to the elite league of stars:
"We consider Tamil stars as our own. Pradeep Garu has now joined this elite club, shaking the industry three times with three consecutive century hits. He is not just hero material, but actor material and star material. We wish him continued success."
Producer Y. Ravi Shankar:
"The success of Dude has brought immense joy. I want to thank our superstar Pradeep Ranganathan, Mamitha Baiju, Director Keerthiswaran, and the entire team. Sarath Kumar Garu played a magnificent role. This is a very memorable film for us, receiving a fabulous response in all languages. I am happy that Keerthi is joining the category of big directors who debuted with our banner, like Bharat Kamma, Nitish Rana, and Buchi Babu Sana. Thank you to the audience for this great success."
Director and Cast on the Journey
Director Keerthiswaran expressed his thanks for the collaboration:
"This is Pradeep Ranganathan's hat-trick movie, and my first. I am delighted that this collaboration resulted in such a huge victory. The character Gagan was inspired by several Telugu films. I am happy that the film is running spectacularly in the Telugu states."
Heroine Mamitha Baiju:
"It is a joy to celebrate this success. Crossing the ₹100 crore collection mark makes this an even more special moment. Thank you to the audience for their support; without it, this wouldn't have been possible."
The event also saw contributions from other crew members, with writer Krishna noting his confidence from the scripting stage: "I felt certain the movie would hit ₹100 crores while writing the dialogues." Distributors praised the fantastic music, emotion, and love story, noting that the interval block gave the audience "goosebumps."
