A Fun Yet Flawed Journey into Chaos and Comedy
Dheeran, the latest addition to the list of Malayalam comedy films in 2025, marks the directorial debut of Devadath Shaji, the co-writer of Bheeshmaparvam. Titled after its lead character played by Rajesh Madhavan, the film blends rustic village charm, quirky characters, and situational comedy in a road trip setup. However, despite the fun premise and occasional brilliance, the film misses the chaotic high it ambitiously aims for.
Plot Overview: A Road Trip Wrapped in Humor and Eccentricity
The story of Dheeran revolves around Eldhose, nicknamed Dheeran, a man known in his village for a brave act in childhood that changed the course of his life. Set in Malayattoor, the film unfolds as a group of villagers embark on a journey to Denkanikottai, Tamil Nadu, to retrieve a deceased person’s body. What makes this a true Malayalam road trip movie is the fact that the journey takes place in an ambulance, where the freezer box is used for more than one unusual purpose.
As the characters interact, the narrative introduces an array of oddballs — a welder who speaks in Hindi, a don with a perfume business, and many more. This colorful ensemble ensures that Dheeran begins with a humorous and engaging tone that draws comparisons to classic Malayalam situational comedy films.
Comic Highs, Narrative Lows
Dheeran Malayalam movie review would be incomplete without mentioning how the film rides on strong comedy but stumbles narratively. While the dialogues and character quirks provide plenty of chuckles, especially during the journey and in the village setting, the second half struggles with a predictable mistaken identity plot. The confusion, meant to create laughter, is only effective within the film’s world — the audience is always a few steps ahead, reducing surprise and engagement.
Humor with a Social Message
Director Devadath Shaji deserves credit for subtly introducing themes like commitment-free intimacy, social judgments, and generational clashes in a rural context. These themes are presented through humor, making them more palatable to a mainstream audience. The humor inside the ambulance, driven by friction and old grudges, works especially well to maintain an emotional undercurrent beneath the laughs.
Performance Review: Dheeran Cast Brings Nostalgia and Charm
The Dheeran cast is one of its major highlights. Rajesh Madhavan does well in both comedic and serious moments, though his performance shines most in humorous exchanges. Veteran actors like Jagadish, Ashokan, Manoj K. Jayan, Vineeth, and Sudheesh bring back nostalgic energy. Sudheesh‘s role is the most crowd-pleasing, with audiences anticipating every word. Supporting actors like Aswathy Manoharan, Srikrishna Dayal, Abhiram Radhakrishnan, and Shabareesh Varma also add vibrancy to the mix.
Music and Technical Highlights
The background score by Mujeeb Majeed swings between energetic and overbearing. At times, it feels disconnected from the scene’s emotional tone. Cinematography and editing are functional but not particularly memorable. Despite that, the film’s charm lies in its dialogues and character dynamics more than in its visuals.
Final Verdict – A Watchable Entertainer That Could Have Been More
In this Dheeran Malayalam movie review, it’s clear that while the film has its share of laughs, strong characters, and social relevance, it doesn’t maintain narrative tension throughout. The Dheeran movie rating would reflect its strengths in comedy and performances, but also its weaknesses in plot coherence and predictability.
⭐ Dheeran Rating: 3/5
Dheeran is a passable and partly enjoyable Malayalam comedy that will appeal to those who enjoy quirky village tales and character-driven humor. If you’re looking for the next In Harihar Nagar, you might be left wanting more, but for fans of light-hearted Malayalam cinema, it’s worth a watch.