DD Returns review: A story about gambling, ghosts, and revenge saved by comedy

S Prem Anand, a long-time associate of Santhanam, delivers a winner in his first film as director.

DD Returns, the third instalment of the Dhilluku Dhuddu (Glory for Guts, 2016) franchise, is a horror-comedy that by and large works because of its comedians scoring handsomely in the second half of the movie.

Though the film is a part of the Dhillukku Dhuddu franchise, this one is being referred to as “Dare Demons” for some strange reason.

Synopsis

The story begins in 1962 when a bunch of gamblers in Pondicherry go missing after the government passes an act abolishing gambling.

A search for the 50-odd gamblers who have gone missing leads the cops to a private French castle where its owners offer handsome returns for the money that the gamblers place as bets.

The gambling game they play is called “Win or Run” and requires the contestants to enter the castle through one door and come out of an exit door.

If they win, they get 50 times the sum they place as a bet. But if they lose, they have to run and the family members hunt and kill them.

The villagers, who get to know of this vicious gambling game being played by the castle owners, accompany the police and burn the place down. The inmates of the castle turn into spirits and haunt the place.

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After a few years

Years pass by and the story moves to another location. Sathish (Santhanam), an event manager, is in love with Sofia (Surbhi).

Sofia’s sister is on the verge of getting married to Benny (Redin Kingsley), the son of a notorious and wealthy don named Anbarasu (FEFSI Vijayan).

However, Benny, who has an oscillating mind, decides at the last minute that he wants to get married to Sofia instead of her sister.

When the family refuses to oblige, Anbarasu demands that the family pay them back ₹25 lakh that they owe him.

Meanwhile, two gangs of robbers are at work. While one gang loots an antique store where a lot of illegal activities happen, the other gang loots Anbarasu’s home.

Sathish by chance gets a portion of the loot stolen from Anbarasu’s home. He gives it to Sofia to help her family settle the debt they borrowed from Anbarasu.

Anbarasu realises that Sathish knows where the money looted from his home is and takes Sofia and her family hostage, demanding that Sathish return all that was stolen from his home.

This forces Sathish and his associates to land at the French castle where the stolen money has been stashed.

The other interested parties, too, make a beeline to the castle where the spirits of the castle force them to play “Win or Run”. What happens next is what DD Returns is all about.

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Slips into cliches

The film starts on an interesting note with this introduction to gambling. However, it soon slips into a cliched format with too many comedian characters coming in and making it a bit difficult for audiences to follow the plot.

Nevertheless, director Prem Anand quickly sets things in order. By the time the second half begins, the film retains your interest. The second half is actually what saves the day for the director and the unit.

The jokes of almost all the comedians find their mark in the second half, as more and more people keep joining the game with the spirits.

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Performances

Santhanam seems to have understood that he doesn’t have to hog the limelight in all the scenes of a film. He gives adequate scope for all the comedians to score which they eventually do in the second half.

Santhanam plays a comparatively subdued role. He plays it with flair and conviction, making it a plus for the movie.

Surbhi as Sofia delivers a neat performance.

Among the big list of comedians, Redin Kingsley as Benny and Dheena as Madhi are just phenomenal. They are the ones who score handsomely.

Redin Kingsley steals the show as the indecisive son of a wealthy don. Dheena, who plays his sidekick Madhi, shows he is as much a comedian as he is a stuntman.

Pradeep Ram Singh Rawat as Fernandes also does a mighty fine job with the others pitching in handsomely.

ofRo’s music and cinematographer Dipak Kumar Padhy’s visuals are up to the mark.

Final take

In all, DD Returns is a clean, funny entertainer that can be enjoyed by the whole family.

(Views expressed here are personal.)