BOTTOM LINE
Weird in Upendra’s Usual Style
RATING
2.25/5
CENSOR
U/A, 2h 12m
What Is the Film About?
UI is set in a fictional world where all humans from different countries, races and religions exist in a single large location. It is ruled by a king-like guy named Vaaman Rao (P Ravi Shankar).
Sathya (Upendra) is a man of goodness who wants to change the people around him with his noble deeds. Kalki (Upendra), is the opposite who punishes people for all their wrongdoing and feels the world would be a better place with none of the evil people existing. Where does their conflict end? The message the movie passes is ultimately what the movie is all about.
Performances
We often use the term one-man show where the lead character does all the heavy lifting and leaves everyone behind in his wake. Well, the term gets its true meaning in Upendra in UI. It is totally his show as an actor, writer and director.
Coming to the acting aspect, Upendra dons two roles Sathya and Kalki. The roles offer him enough variations be it in terms of looks or characterizations. As it is all his creations, he does well in getting them right to the point, concerning small details and behavior.
There are no extraordinary moments of acting, but the body language and sharp delivery of the lines nail all the necessary emotions required. The dubbing (in Telugu) for one of the characters reminds one of Aparichitudu, though.
Reeshma Nanaiah is technically a female lead. She has a song and appears intermittently playing one of the wacky characters in the movie. However, it is an impact less parts and is forgettable.
Analysis
Upendra writes and directs UI, besides acting as the main lead in the movie. The movie follows the director’s typical style if one has been following them from the start. UI, especially, feels like a spiritual sequel to one of his previous films, Super.
The movie’s start gives us a glimpse of his previous directorial Uppi 2. It is sure to bamboozle the audience and catch them off guard. It might also be irritating if one is not used to his style.
Once the initial block is done and the narrative settles to the fictional location (where most of the movie is set), things start to ease out on the confusing score.
The actual proceedings happening in the fictional world are basically a satire on the current system and the people. Upendra’s two characters cover the vast spectrum of the issues that many feel frustrated about taking the good and bad side. They are all wrapped in the narrative with a heavy dose of satire cum caustic sarcasm in the typical Upendra style.
There is no particular story to say. What we get is a flimsy one. What the movie contains is a series of episodes highlighting the various issues and mocking them via the hero’s character. It is a direct attack on the audience, sometimes subtly and sometimes bluntly. Upendra leaves no one here including the critics.
Still, the two Upendra characters and the conflict they represent offer intrigue. It holds attention around the interval mark and makes one look forward to the second half.
Post intermission, the sharpness misses and things move in a hit-and-miss fashion. Some blocks work whereas some things look long and overdone, (the Mahayuddham block, for example). There is no question about over the top here as the tone has been set that way from the start.
The consistency in tone and engaging parts despite the lag make one glued to the proceedings in spite of the issues. One wants to know where things are headed. The fact that what happens next isn’t predictable helps the cause.
After intermittent lags in the second half, the pre-climax and climax portions are on track. The post apocalyptic kind of visual and sequences towards the end hit home the satire excellently. It is not just a verbal attack, but visually also things work. The ending moments involving Sathya too leave an impact even though the actual conclusion related to the character may not.
And finally, the ending after all the events that occur add to the wackiness of the whole enterprise. Again, it might not work to everyone, but it still is neat conclusion to the way the proceedings began in the first place.
In a way, Upendra learns from the mistake of his previous directorial Uppi 2 which lacked both energy and clarity in presentation. We have the missing energy (still not his peak level) here and the screenplay avoids the messiness and makes proceedings look crisp despite the lag.
Overall, UI is a film that carries Upendra’s mark with its unique world creation, wackiness, weirdness, and social satires. As with all of Upendra’s films, it will appeal to a section of his fans and may feel heavy for others. Check which side you’re on before going.
Performances by Others Actors
Apart from Upendra, others don’t have much to do. We have likes of Ravi Shankar and Achyutt, but they don’t have impactful parts. The same is the case with others, where barring Murali Sharma, none are that recognizable.
Music and Other Departments?
Ajaneesh Loknath’s BGM is terrific. Just like the world created by Upendra that’s a mix of all people from the world, he brings a vibrant mix in the music that’s a beautiful amalgamation of the world music. From Japanese to Bhangra, local Kuthu to mass beats everything is neatly integrated in the BGM.
The cinematography is good. The colours have been used well to generate images that stays unique visually. Editing the film is the biggest challenge. Had it gone wrong the whole things would have crumbled leaving everyone scratching heads. Luckily, for UI, editing gets it right for the most part, barring the action scenes. The writing has Upendra’s mark in key scenes and they work well.
Highlights?
BGM
Screenplay
Upendra
Message through dialogues (If One Gets)
Drawbacks?
Drags In Second Half
Convoluted Beginning
Feels Lengthy
Half Baked Characters (Besides Hero)
Did I Enjoy It?
Yes, in parts
Will You Recommend It?
Yes, but only if you like Upendra’s brand of movies
UI Telugu Movie Review by M9
