section_path: Production
section_name: Production
paragraph_text: Production
  
  After the success of Oh My Kadavule in 2020, director Ashwath Marimuthu was congratulated by Silambarasan for the film's success, leading speculations that they would collaborate for the director's next directorial venture. Reports of a potential collaboration persisted through January 2022, with AGS Entertainment reported as the project's funder. Touted to be a romantic comedy, production was reportedly set to begin later that year. However, for unspecified reasons, the project was eventually delayed. Silambarasan moved on to Thug Life (2025), STR 49 directed by Ramkumar Balakrishnan and STR 50 directed by Desingh Periyasamy, while Ashwath took on the Telugu remake of Oh My Kadavule, later titled Ori Devuda (2022).
  
  In December 2023, Pradeep Ranganathan, a long-time friend of Ashwath Marimuthu, was reported to collaborate with him for a potential film. AGS Entertainment was confirmed to be the project's funder, and made a public announcement on 10 April 2024, confirming the project, tentatively titled #PradeepAshwathCombo and #AGS26. The team retained collaborators from their previous films, including composer Leon James, editor Pradeep E. Ragav, and publicity designer Kabilan Chelliah; S. M. Venkat Manickam was appointed as the executive producer by the production house, while Niketh Bommireddy was chosen to handle the cinematography. Ashwath clarified the script he narrated to Silambarasan was not the same, after reports claimed it to be. The film's official title, Dragon, was announced on 5 May.
  
  Pradeep would be playing a student as a main character for the first time. Anupama Parameswaran would be pairing opposite Pradeep, in her fourth Tamil film after Kodi (2016), Thalli Pogathey (2021) and Siren (2024). K. S. Ravikumar, Gautham Vasudev Menon and Mysskin were confirmed to be playing important roles, in their first collaboration with Pradeep and Ashwath. YouTubers VJ Siddhu and Harshath Khan would make their film acting sophomore after Nenjamundu Nermaiyundu Odu Raja (2019), while Kayadu Lohar would make her Tamil film debut with this film. Shortly thereafter, George Maryan and television actress Indumathy Manikandan were announced to play the title character's parents. Principal photography began with first schedule on 5 May 2024 with an inaugural puja at a film city in Chennai on the day before. Several scenes were shot at the SSN College of Engineering, where Pradeep and Ashwath studied before. On 4 October, the director confirmed that filming had entered into its last schedule.
  
  After the success of Oh My Kadavule in 2020, director Ashwath Marimuthu was congratulated by Silambarasan for the film's success, leading speculations that they would collaborate for the director's next directorial venture. Reports of a potential collaboration persisted through January 2022, with AGS Entertainment reported as the project's funder. Touted to be a romantic comedy, production was reportedly set to begin later that year. However, for unspecified reasons, the project was eventually delayed. Silambarasan moved on to Thug Life (2025), STR 49 directed by Ramkumar Balakrishnan and STR 50 directed by Desingh Periyasamy, while Ashwath took on the Telugu remake of Oh My Kadavule, later titled Ori Devuda (2022).
  
  In December 2023, Pradeep Ranganathan, a long-time friend of Ashwath Marimuthu, was reported to collaborate with him for a potential film. AGS Entertainment was confirmed to be the project's funder, and made a public announcement on 10 April 2024, confirming the project, tentatively titled #PradeepAshwathCombo and #AGS26. The team retained collaborators from their previous films, including composer Leon James, editor Pradeep E. Ragav, and publicity designer Kabilan Chelliah; S. M. Venkat Manickam was appointed as the executive producer by the production house, while Niketh Bommireddy was chosen to handle the cinematography. Ashwath clarified the script he narrated to Silambarasan was not the same, after reports claimed it to be. The film's official title, Dragon, was announced on 5 May.
  
  Pradeep would be playing a student as a main character for the first time. Anupama Parameswaran would be pairing opposite Pradeep, in her fourth Tamil film after Kodi (2016), Thalli Pogathey (2021) and Siren (2024). K. S. Ravikumar, Gautham Vasudev Menon and Mysskin were confirmed to be playing important roles, in their first collaboration with Pradeep and Ashwath. YouTubers VJ Siddhu and Harshath Khan would make their film acting sophomore after Nenjamundu Nermaiyundu Odu Raja (2019), while Kayadu Lohar would make her Tamil film debut with this film. Shortly thereafter, George Maryan and television actress Indumathy Manikandan were announced to play the title character's parents. Principal photography began with first schedule on 5 May 2024 with an inaugural puja at a film city in Chennai on the day before. Several scenes were shot at the SSN College of Engineering, where Pradeep and Ashwath studied before. On 4 October, the director confirmed that filming had entered into its last schedule.