Dawood (2025)

Detailed Review

Dawood, who keeps his real identity hidden from the outside world while living in Mumbai, has built a massive drug empire in Tamil Nadu and controls it ruthlessly. To capture him, a police team led by Arjai jumps into action. Meanwhile, Dawood’s own associate, Sai Dheena, hatches a plan to steal the drug consignment. At the same time, a rival gang of Dawood also plans to seize the same consignment.

In the middle of all this chaos, a call-taxi driver named Linga—who is driving the vehicle carrying the drugs—gets trapped in the situation. Who finally takes control of the drug consignment? Did the innocent driver Linga manage to escape from these dangerous gangs? Director Prashanth Ramen narrates this as a comedy–crime–thriller.

Linga, who plays the protagonist, perfectly fits his role with his innocent expressions and subtle acting. Sarah Archer, the supposed heroine, leaves the audience confused—it's unclear whether she is paired with Sarath Ravi from the villain gang or with Linga, and she disappears without clarity. Radha Ravi, Sai Dheena, ‘Vathikuchi’ Dileepan, Vaiyapuri, Abishek, Anand Nagh, Sarath Ravi, and Arjai deliver neat performances. Rakesh Ambikapathy’s background score and songs are decent.

The thrilling sequences work strongly in the film’s favour, though the exaggerated buildup given to many characters feels overdone. The film ends without revealing who Dawood actually is, leaving that question unanswered. It’s a film suited for thriller lovers.

Overall: Dawood – Packed with thrills, but leaves a few questions unanswered.