Ente Ummante Peru Review-Tovino & Urvashi Shine Bright In This Heartwarming Comedy

Suhansid Srikanth

Suddenly there is a strong comeback of grand old genre of mother - son films in Indian Cinema this year. There was 'Aravindante Athithigal' earlier which was about a son abandoned by his mother.. finding his way back to her. And recently, there was Marathi film, 'Naal', which was also about a little boy struggling to meet his mother after getting to know that he has been adopted. Even ManiRatnam's Chekka Chivantha Vaanam, though not as concrete as these films, had shades of a character (Ethi) seeking acknowledgement of his mother's love.

Tovino Thomas's new film is also much on the same lines.. but what adds the flavour here is, it is not just the mere mother - son melodrama that drives the movie. Hameed, after his father's death, wants to get married and settled. He needs his mother by his side since the bride's father is strongly against her daughter marrying an orphan. At one point, he gets to know that his father had two wives. He visits them both to find who his mother is. When one is not, he firmly assumes that he is the son of the other. He meets Asha, (played delightfully by Urvashi, in her most exuberant form) who he thought earlier as his mom plays along to it even though she is not. Later we are revealed that she did so because she can't foresee a future ahead after all these years of being alone.

The nerve of this kinda self-centered motives is all thoroughout the film. Asha demands him to take her to Kolkata when he starts a journey to find his real mother. She falsely claims that she had been there couple of times. And even there, when he loses the address that Asha knew by heart, she makes a deal that she will let him know the address only if he takes her around Kolkata. And what follows is the comic bizarre places and scenarios that these duo gets into to find Hameed's real mother, Laila Begum.

There is a 'heroine'.. There is a love-angle as well.. but in a way, it is the combination of Tovino and Urvashi that steals the show. Urvashi, as Asha who is too much into herself, is naturally convincing as Hameed's mother. The little emotions working big time shows her strength over her presence.

Despite few too 'on the face' connects here and there.. with just a handful of characters, Jose Sebastian's direction is rooted and stays local to the core emotions despite the wavering story flow from Thalassery to Kozhikodu to Ponnani and then to Kolkata. The Goan comedy vibes in the cinematography of Jordi Plannel Closa really uplifts the film's mood. So is the limited score and soundtrack by Gopi Sundar.

Tovino, again proves his versatility effortlessly in this momma's boy role. There is not a bit of alienation no matter what's the range of emotion he is performing in. The connect is always there. And with Mayanadhi, Maradona, Theevandi, Oru Kuprasidha Paiyan, Ente Ummante Peru all in a row, with an year span.. he is already solidly writing a very interesting filmography!

Bottomline

Tovino Thomas starter 'Ente Ummante Peru' is a heartwarming comedy that has its emotions right on place. Urvashi as Asha, is unstoppable and delivers a memorable role.

Rating : 3.5/5