“Not just comedy anymore” – Pradeep Ranganathan eyes bigger stories

Pradeep Ranganathan’s journey in cinema has always been one of unexpected choices. From the emotional beats of Comali to the viral success of Love Today, he’s managed to connect with a wide audience while staying true to his own quirky, personal storytelling. But now, Pradeep seems ready to shift gears entirely – and he’s not afraid to admit that his perspective is changing.

In a recent interview, he spoke candidly about how the scale of his ambitions has grown. After Love Today, he said he wanted to do something much bigger, something “massive.” A sci-fi concept had caught his imagination – but when Vignesh Shivan approached him with the idea for LIK, he knew it was a rare opportunity. The film, a futuristic romance, isn’t a genre that Tamil cinema often explores, and Pradeep was drawn to the challenge. He didn’t want to be boxed into just comedy or romance, he wanted to evolve.

Looking ahead, Pradeep is now developing his own sci-fi project, one he plans to direct and act in. He described it as an original film that’s “relatable yet high concept,” and hinted that he’s putting a lot of heart and thought into crafting it. He made it clear that it’s not about rushing into projects just for scale as he wants to do something that feels different, yet grounded.

But even as he sets his sights on new genres, one thing about Pradeep hasn’t changed: his love for cinema, especially the kind that made him a fan long before he became a filmmaker.

He shared some heartfelt stories about being a die-hard Rajinikanth fan. Back in college, he would skip exams just to catch the first day, first show of Thalaivar’s films. Whether it was midnight shows or milk abhishekams on banners, he was always there, climbing cut-outs, soaking in the madness. For him, watching a Rajini film on release day is more than a tradition, it’s a celebration he refuses to miss, no matter how busy life gets.

This fan energy naturally led to speculation, could Pradeep be directing the much hyped Rajinikanth – Kamal Haasan combo film? The rumours have been swirling, especially with names like Lokesh Kanagaraj already floating around. But Pradeep addressed it head-on, saying:

“I’m not directing the Rajinikanth sir & Kamal Haasan sir combo film. I’m not doing it because I’m focused on acting right now. I can’t reveal if I’m offered for that film.”

That one quote clears up a lot. While he didn’t deny being considered, he firmly stated that he isn’t taking it up. Which means the choice of director wasn’t locked to just one person as the film seems to have been pitched to multiple names, and Pradeep was likely among them. But for now, he’s staying in front of the camera, not behind it.

As things stand, Pradeep Ranganathan is in no hurry to follow a formula. He’s experimenting, taking his time, and more importantly, staying true to the fan and storyteller within. Whether it’s sci-fi, romance, or just celebrating Rajini FDFS, he’s doing it all – but on his own terms. His next release, Dude, is set to hit screens this Diwali weekend on October 17th, followed by LIK which is scheduled for a grand release on December 18th.