The Dragon Effect

Hey Reader! 👋

Remember when I said I've been studying storytelling techniques? Well, last week I finally watched "Dragon" and then immediately fell into a YouTube rabbit hole that led me to this incredible interview between the film's director Ashwath Marimuthu and critic Baradwaj Rangan.

I was expecting your typical promotional chat, but what I got was a masterclass in story engineering that completely changed how I see storytelling.

Why This Actually Matters For You

Here's the thing: whether you're making content, giving presentations, or just trying to explain something important to someone - understanding these emotional shifts changes everything.

Think about the last time you were completely captivated by someone's story. I bet they didn't stay at one emotional level the entire time.

They probably made you:

• Curious at the beginning

• Concerned in the middle

• Relieved or inspired by the end

This isn't just film director magic - it's a human connection blueprint that works everywhere.

The Emotional Rollercoaster

There was this moment in the interview where Ashwath said something that made me actually pause the video:

I immediately thought about the Dragon film itself. Remember that scene where the main character is trying to win back his ex-girlfriend's trust after his lies? It starts with tension, builds to anger, shifts to vulnerability, and ends with a glimmer of hope. All in just minutes!

That's when it hit me - great storytellers aren't just showing what happens - they're deliberately manipulating our emotions like a DJ mixing tracks. Up, down, hope, fear, relief, tension... all carefully orchestrated.

The Mirror That Blew My Mind

Another thing that hit me hard was how Ashwath structured his entire film around mirrors:

"The first frame of the film and the end frame should be a mirror," he explained.

In Dragon, he introduces the main character as "the biggest failure of this college" in the beginning. By the ending, the same character is described as "the most successful person who passed out of this college."

But here's what gave me chills - success isn't defined by money or status (which is what we initially expect). It's defined by the character's personal growth, by his willingness to face his mistakes and start again.

When I watched the film with this in mind, I couldn't believe how perfectly these mirrors were placed throughout. The same settings appear at different points, but with completely different emotional meanings. Characters repeat phrases, but in new contexts that give them fresh significance.

Part 1

The Flawed Hero We Need

The most powerful revelation came when Ashwath discussed his protagonist:

"I want to play with the flaws of my heroes to give hope at the end," he said.

In Dragon, he deliberately creates a character who does terrible things - who cheats, lies, takes shortcuts. Not for shock value, but to create space for transformation.

I actually remember watching that confession scene in the theater where the main character admits all his deceptions in front of everyone. The audience around me erupted in applause!

"People clapped for the Truth," Ashwath said in the interview, sounding a bit surprised himself.

That's when I realized why this film hit differently than so many others. In a world of perfect Instagram feeds and carefully curated lives, we're starving to see someone just be honest about their failures.

The "Why" That Creates Depth

Throughout the interview, Ashwath kept returning to one question that shapes his entire creative process:

"I think the character's root gets deeper when we ask 'why' for ourselves."

Watching Dragon with this in mind, I noticed how each character decision feels inevitable rather than convenient. Even the villainous characters have understandable motivations.

Remember that scene where the protagonist's ex helps him study for exams despite their breakup? In another film, this might feel forced. But Ashwath makes us understand exactly why she would do this - it's not just plot convenience, it's rooted in who she is and her own guilt about their relationship.

The Three-Layer Scene Building

The most technical insight came when Ashwath explained how he builds every scene with three layers:

1. The Plot Layer: What literally happens

2. The Character Layer: How this moment reveals or changes someone

3. The Thematic Layer: How this connects to the larger message

I immediately thought of that pivotal airport scene in Dragon where:

• On the plot level, a promise is made

• On the character level, we see the protagonist's growth but also his lingering flaws

• On the thematic level, it reinforces the idea that sometimes our second chances come with consequences

I'm realizing there's so much more I can add to my content. I typically focus only on the plot layer ("here's what happened") without deliberately crafting character revelation or thematic resonance.

Part 2

Five Storytelling Principles I'm Stealing

Here's what I'm taking from Dragon and applying immediately:

1. Create emotional temperature shifts. Don't just tell what happened - orchestrate how people should feel at each point of your story.

2. Build mirror structures. Make your beginnings and endings reflect each other to show transformation.

3. Embrace authentic flaws. Stop trying to create perfect narratives. The most compelling stories come from showing real mistakes and genuine growth.

4. Ask deeper "why" questions. Never settle for surface-level explanations of behavior - dig for the emotional truth.

5. Layer every scene. Make each moment work on multiple levels - advancing your story while revealing character and reinforcing themes.

I'm already rethinking how I structure my social posts, videos, and even my conversations with clients. These aren't just filmmaking techniques - they're fundamentals of human connection.

Your Storytelling Challenge

This week, I have a simple challenge for you:

Take one of these five storytelling principles and apply it to a LinkedIn post about something you've learned recently - maybe a challenge you faced, a project that transformed you, or an insight that changed your perspective.

Structure your post to create an emotional journey. Start with one feeling and end with another. Show us your authentic flaws. Ask yourself the deeper "why" questions. Build in layers.

Then share it with the hashtag #BeyondTheStory so we can all learn from each other's experiments.

I'll be looking out for your posts and can't wait to see which principle you choose to explore!

Finding the deeper story in everything, Epaphra

P.S. My favorite quote from the Dragon interview: "Most people are those who lost their way in the path of success. This film tells you that bouncing back is also a success." Sometimes the most powerful stories aren't about avoiding failure - they're about what we do after we fail.