Uttama Villain

Cast	:	Kamal Haasan Jayaram, K. Viswanath, K. Balachander, Nassar Urvashi, Andrea Jeremiah, Pooja Kumar Parvathi Menon, Parvathy Nair
Director	:	Ramesh Aravind
Music	:	M Gibran
Producer	:	Thirrupathi Brothers, Raaj Kamal Films International
Release Date	:	May 01, 2015
Length	:	2 Hours & 52 Minutes
Language	:	Tamil

My Thoughts

Film-making is an art. It is a craft that comes from within the creativity of the artists and several technicians involved in the process. It is also very difficult from other forms of arts. Because, the craftsman has to not only satisfy himself, but also convince the fellow artists to be a part of the process and ultimately the movie-goers. Since the release date was announced, I have been one among those who have been eagerly waiting for the movie. But, mixed/negative reviews cultivated seeds of doubt in my head. When I learnt that the movie is almost three hours long, I almost gave up the idea of watching it. However, not for long! I finally went to watch yesterday.

Uttama Villain is a movie that will make you laugh and cry at the same time. A lump in the throat haunts you whenever Manoranjan, a filmstar, played by the versatile Kamal Hassan, comes on screen. When veteran director K Balachandar’s voice shivers, it makes you shiver too. However, when you find Uttaman, a drama artist who lived long-long ago, played by Kamal Hassan again, you can’t stop yourself from laughing.

When the smart dialogs tickle you, impeccable acting jolts you and realism moves you. The background music sets the right mood and the cinematography sets the perfect tone. The screenplay effortlessly oscillates between Manoranjan and Uttaman. They are contrasts. When Manoranjan is fighting brain tumor, Uttaman comes across as immortal who has escaped from the jaws of death more than once.

The movie conveys that death is for the mortal body, not for the craft that an artist creates. It also subtly hints the personal lives of superstars we see on screen. It portrays their other face that we never get to see.

There is a scene where Jayaram talks about his adopted daughter to Kamal Hassan. I don’t want to give spoiler. But, I have to tell you one thing – that scene proves why Kamal Hassan is what he is today. Acting is easy. But, to live as the character and emote is a different ball game, he proves.

The film also has a big array of star cast. Urvasi as Manoranjan’s wife, Andrea as his doctor , Pooja Kumar as a fellow actor, Parvathi Menon as his daughter and Parvathi Nair as his son’s girlfriend.  Then, there is MS Bhaskar, Nasser and K Viswanath also. I am amazed to see how descriptively each character is drawn. In spite of the long list of stars, each one of them stay in our heart, leave a mark and contribute to the plot.

In short, forget about the reviews and criticism. Go for the film with a clear mind. You will be entertained. You will enjoy. You will laugh. You will cry. At the end of three hours, you will be happy. Isn’t the purpose of a good movie?

Rating

4.5/5