Uppu Karuvadu - Simple and Clean Fun

Bharath Vijayakumar

Karuvadu does not find many variances in a menu card. It is a simple food that might not be eye catchy but serves the purpose of catering to the taste buds.buds. Uppu Karuvadu in many ways is a film that is reminiscent of it's title.

Plot:

A struggling filmmaker gets a chance to make a film. But it comes with certain constraints which beyond a point seem to get dangerous.

Cast:

The actors in Uppu Karuvadu take some time to grow on us. The conversations and acting are never filmy. But they are not like those art house films as well.The acting is too casual that it could be interpreted as being disinterested. But the film works this way and after a point you get attuned to it's ways. Karunakaran is that rare comic actor who can crack you up without a fuss. Mayilsamy gets it right almost every time and you wonder whether he really gets the appreciation that he deserves. Doubt Senthil gets a golden opportunity and he hits it out of the park. The reaction that he gives everytime a wannabe Malayalam singer tries to impress him is worth it's weight in gold.

Nandita does a very good job in a rather difficult role. You could have so easily hated her if she did not get this right.

What works?

After burning his hands slightly with Gouravam, Radha Mohan is back in home territory. The film does bear some resemblances to his Azhagiye Theeye which too was centered around struggling filmmakers.He has kept things as simple as possible. The ambience and settings do look like the tele serial type. But after a point when the jokes start working you really do not mind.

The dialogues are the best you have heard in a comic film in a while. When someone asks his opinion after giving an atrocious idea Karunakaran replies 'Halwa la uppu pota madhiri irukku'. What is the big deal might be your reaction on reading this. But watch it in the film on how nonchalantly it is uttered and you will be in splits. Mayilsamy's superstitious justification on just about anything is an amazing running gag. Did you really need songs in this film?

Why not just play to your strengths? The artificially cool sounding title song (UK UK....Uppu Karuvadu) hardly helps matters.

Bottomline:

Uppu Karuvadu builds up slowly and the laughter hits the roof towards the end. Give it a taste!!!

Rating: 3/5