Uttama-Villain-ReviewBOTTOM LINE
clunky narration spoils the show

OUR RATING
2.5/5

CENSOR
“U” Certified, 173 Mins.

Uttama-Villain-ReviewWhat is the film about?
Superstar Manoranjan wants to make one film that everyone should remember that should make him immortal. Why he takes that decision and what film he makes is in short what Uttama Villain is all about.

How is Kamal Haasan’s performance?
The legendary actor operates in a completely different level which makes us often wonder if he is acting in a different film than the one we see on screen. He brings an integrity and depth to his character that the maker fails to match.

Of course there is the usual problem where ‘see’ him ‘act’ in the film when it should be seamlessly blended into the proceedings. But this has been a common problem for a long time that one tends to let go due to the amount of attention to detail he brings to the table even doing so.


Uttama-Villain-ReviewDirection By Ramesh Aravind?
If the film is let down by anything then it is in this department. The direction is weak. The sense of a seamless narration is absent from the beginning and it becomes more and more troublesome as we proceed into the dual time-verse story narration. There is a complete disconnect with what is happening on screen. The effect is so much so that in the end the narrative asks us to be completely immersed to feel the greatness of the moment, the symbolic gestures, it fails to register to the audience.


Uttama-Villain-ReviewAndrea and other artists performance?

The film is populated with many characters that are essayed by wide variety of actors. The one that immediately stand out are late K Balachander who has been given a very good role. He isn’t an actor with flourish but he conveys what is needed. The dubbing ruins whatever little he does though. K Vishwanath is reliable as usual and so is Uravashi although she goes overboard at times and once the effect is enhanced due to the dubbing. The two heroines Pooja Kumar and Andrea Jeremiah in the end appear merely functional. The former gets her moment to overact in parts. Parvathy Menon and MS Bhaskar add weight to the characters they are given with their subtle acts.

Uttama-Villain-ReviewMusic and other departments?
After the actual hero Kamal Haasan it is the music director Ghibran who is like the second biggest contributor to the film. His music holds the film together from the beginning till the end. Many scenes create impact due to the background score even when they are poorly directed. Cinematography is fine overall but bad VFX in the period set up pulls it down. One gets the feeling of the film needing further editing at the end of the screening for sure. Dialogues are just about okay.


Uttama-Villain-ReviewHighlights?
Kamal Haasan
Basic story line
Music and BGM

Drawbacks?
Screenplay
Direction
Over melodrama and poor dubbing


Uttama-Villain-ReviewAlternative take:
Those who have seen the film would know that there was a film within the film. An alternative take would probably be making that film within film as a separate film entirely removing all the present parts.

Did I enjoy it?
Yes, few parts.

Will you recommend it?
Only if you are a die hard Kamal Haasan fan.


Uttama Villain Review by Siddhartha