G.D.N. review: Madhavan's GD Naidu biopic is a glossy highlight reel minus heart

Did you know that India's best innovator, Gopalaswamy Duraiswamy Naidu aka GD Naidu, hailing from Coimbatore was branded a lunatic, terrorist and tax dodger? G.D.N. opens with a group of teachers belonging to a textbook committee debating whether he deserves a chapter in the school syllabus.Director Krishnakumar Ramakumar's G.D.N. then takes us on a journey to the early 1910s when GD Naidu discovered his passion for everything mechanical. It's his love for motors that led him to manufacture the first electric motor in India, among his other discoveries in various sectors. But, innovators like him always face adversaries at every step. GD Naidu was no exception.He was labelled a tax dodger and several attempts were made by those who merely felt jealous looking at his rise at the international level to prove that he was a defaulter. How did he become GD Naidu, an innovator that everyone wanted to collaborate with? Who was jealous of seeing him climb the ladder in the industrial sector? How did he overcome hurdles? All this and more are brought to life by Madhavan and the ensemble cast in two hours and 27 minutes.G.D.N., written by director Krishnakumar Ramakumar and Madhavan, traces the tumultuous journey of GD Naidu, who has several discoveries and innovations to his credit. His love for motors begins when he first lays eyes on Englishman Robert Stanes's (Richard Bhakti Klein) two-wheeler. He buys it for Rs 250, dismantles it entirely, only to understand how every part functions. That is who GD Naidu is. He digs deep, understands how things work and builds machines that reduce people's workload.Not just electric motor, he ran a two-hundred bus empire, almost cracked a deal with Benz, met Hitler and contributed to various fields including electrical, mechanical, automobile and agricultural. For a man who never rested, his life has several moments that lend itself to cinema. Perhaps the toughest part is to come up with a script that not only explores his zest for life but also how he was always three steps ahead every time the Income Tax department came close to seizing his properties. G.D.N. encapsulates all this and more. But it recounts one event after another, almost like checking off milestones, instead of weaving them into a cohesive narrative. For example, Robert Stanes lends him one bus to restart his life after a setback. The next scene shows you that he has already expanded it into a 200-bus empire. In fact, G.D.N. often feels like a Wikipedia page stretched into a feature-length screenplay.This brings us to the comparison with Rocketry: The Nambi Effect is inevitable. Much like Madhavan's directorial debut on ISRO scientist Nambi Narayanan, G.D.N. is fascinated by the life of a misunderstood genius. Both films, however, share a similar weakness. They rush through their protagonists' milestones, packing years of achievements into a series of fleeting episodes instead of letting the defining moments breathe — every invention, every meeting with a historical figure and every legal battle treated as another checkbox, when several of them deserved to become fully realised dramatic set-pieces.Majority of the G.D.N. focusses on how the Income Tax department frames him and how he outshines them. For example, Naidu's wife Chellamma (Priyamani) asks him to leave her and marry another woman who would support him and not hold him back. In the next scene, we see Naidu marrying Ranganayaki (Dushara Vijayan). We never get to see how Naidu or Chellamma got past this troubling period.In one of the important sequences in the film where Naidu's assets are being auctioned, his most trusted aide Ramaiah Pillai (Sathyaraj) swoops in to rescue him. While it's one of the powerful scenes, it doesn't bring in the intended impact because of how convinent the writing is.The film has an ensemble cast with many characters having interesting arcs. Income tax officer Ambalapara Krishnan's (Jayaram) turnaround from being an honest officer to uncovering why Naidu is being framed needs more time. Similarly, the grudge that Vinay Rai's Bhupendra, Karunakaran's Perunkili and Englishman Henry Adams (Carl Andrew Harte) needs more depth than just jealousy, driving them to witness the fall of the legend.G.D.N. brings in chapters where Naidu meets Hitler and his equations with legendary politicians and actors in Tamil Nadu, including Anna, MR Radha, NSK and several others that spark excitement and make you want to know more. Most of the events in Naidu's life get a mere mention in G.D.N., but hardly one gets to know the difficulties and the failures he faced before succeeding.Madhavan channelises GD Naidu to perfection. However, in certain places, he seems to have oversold his performance with his exaggerated expressions. But, his physical transformation makes you draw you back into his act. Sathyaraj as Ramiah Pillai and Jayaram as Ambalapara Krishnan aid Naidu well with their seniority and expertise. Dushara Vijayan as Ranganayaki is feisty and matches Naidu's energy.While the film earns brownie points for performances, it falters in execution. The recreation of the period era, incorporation of real visuals and sloppy AI-generated shots are jarring. In its climax, Madhavan's monologue suggests the British introduced the caste system to India - a claim that is factually inaccurate and undercuts the film's credibility in its most emotionally-charged scene.What G.D.N. does best is give you a crash course in understanding the genius behind some of the products that we use. But, if you ask whether it's a fitting biopic on GD Naidu, the legend, then the answer is no.- EndsPublished On: Aug 7, 2026 08:23 IST