Udhayam NH4 Movie Review
Director: Manimaran
Cast: Siddharth, Ashritha Shetty, Kay Kay Menon
Music: G.V Prakash Kumar
Udhayam NH 4 is a racy fast moving road movie as there is something different in story and presentation. The film works due to Vetrimaran’s script and Kay Kay Menon’s outstanding performance as an encounter cop who plays by the rules.
Soaring, stylized, scruffy, scrappy and sharp by turns, Udhayam NH4 is never low on energy and isn’t the run-of- the- mill. The team of script writer and producer Vetrimaran, presenter Dhyanidhi Alagiri, debutant director Manimaran and Red Giants delivers a film that they can be proud of.
The presentation is unique as it doesn’t have the trappings of usual masala potboilers. It is a simple story of a boy and a girl on the run from her dad, a powerful state minister in Karnataka who takes the help of an encounter specialist to track them down.
Prabhu (Siddharth) is a cool guy studying in an engineering college in Bangalore, who opens up only to his group of friends. Rithika the only daughter of a powerful minister Avinash Patel (Avinash) falls for Prabhu, seeing his caring attitude and the way he goes out of the way to protect his friends.
On the final day of her exams she gets kidnapped by Prabhu. Her father asks the encounter specialist cop Manoj Menon (Kay Kay Menon), to trace her and eliminate her boyfriend and everything should be done in a hush-hush manner. Menon is forced to take up the job on a day when his son is celebrating his birthday.
It is Vetrimaran’s script that makes the film work, and humour is part of the film with the fat guy (Karthik) a Appukutty look alike who plays Siddharth’s friend bringing the house down with his one- liners. The guy in the police control room who always shouts while speaking is another interesting character.
However the film belongs to Kay Kay Menon who does a Tommy Lee Jones act as an encounter cop. Menon lays into his character with obvious delight and vigour and is fantastic in scenes where he questions suspects.
Siddharth delivers a performance that is restrained and has successfully changed into an angry young man. New girl Ashritha Shetty looks cute and fresh and suits the role of a minor aptly. The film also benefits enormously from GV Prakash’s BGM and songs especially the Yaaro Ivan... and Ora Kannalae.. being the pick of the lot.
Udhayam NH 4 might take some time to settle into; go in with an open mind and enjoy the ride. It has enough sinew to offset its share of flaws. Strongly recommended.
