Uppu Karuvadu Review
Director: Radha Mohan
Cast: Karunakaran, Nandita, MS Baskar, Sathish, Mayilsamy, Chams, Kumaravel, Rashitha
Radha Mohan’s Uppu Karuvadu proves one thing-no matter who's the director, who stars in it or who the music director is, a film needs a good script and arresting presentation to keep audiences hooked. The film does not boast of a big story or twist but the film is good fun while it lasts. The director’s quirky characterization and Pon Parthiepan’s tongue-in-cheek dialogues provide a wholesome entertainer, a complete laugh riot!
Chandran (Karunakaran) is a failed director. His first film was a flop and second film was dropped due to unknown reasons. He has the responsibilityof getting his sister married and the future of his two assistant director friends- Ilango(Chams) and Karthik (Narayanan) are in his hands.
When an opportunity to make a small budget film title Samuthirakumari for a powerful fishery-businessman Jayaraman aka Ayya (MS Baskar), he has no other go but to take up the offer. But the real challenge is that Chandran has to make the film with Ayya’s daughter, Maha (Nandita) who just can't act! The rest of the film tells us whether Chandran achieves his dream or not?
It looks like Chandran seems to be the favorite protagonist name for Radha Mohan, remember Prasanna’s character in the director’s debut film Azhagiya Theeye too was Chandran? And both the films share the same plot of a director's struggle to make a successful film!
Despite the above said similarities and predictable storyline, Uppu Karuvadu is actually a clean comedy entertainer with interesting characters and the whimsical performances of all the actors. It’s not a cakewalk for directors to evoke laughter with each and every dialogue, but Radha Mohan has pulled it off in style with the help of his witty dialogue writer.
Karunakaran is a scream with his subtle acting style and dialogue delivery. For a good actress like Nandita to make the role of a non-actor work should have been a difficult job but she is convincing and annoying as the wannabe actress who cannot act!!! Rashitha, who plays Karunakaran’s love interest has given a sensible performance while Sathish is just adequate.
There are plenty of interesting characters in Uppu Karuvadu –MS Baskar as ‘Ayya’, Chams as the ‘Thirrukural’ speaking assistant director, Mayilsamy as the superstitious manager, ‘Daddy’ Sarvanan as the fake Godman, 'Doubt' Senthil who often gets his English wrong and Manja aka Karnan (Kumaravel ), the ingenious local fisherman/ex-gangster are all excellent.
Mahesh Muthusamy’s cinematography is quite good, capturing the seashore with natural lightings while Steve Vatz’s music is strictly functional. Overall, Radha Mohan is back with his trademark premise in Uppu Karuvadu and this time he scores quite well.
