Udayananu Tharam (2005)

A lot more amusing than I thought it would be.

I really wanted to like this movie. I feel terribly cynical trashing it, and that's why I'm giving it a middling 5. Actually, I'm giving it a 5 because there were some superb performances.

This is one of the few movies I've ever seen where the whole audience broke into spontaneous, loud applause a third of the way in.

The film's masterful storytelling did its job. The message was clear. No need to overdo.

One of the best Malayalam movies of recent times and in my opinion along with Blessy's two films (Kaazcha and Thanmathra) the turning point for Malayalam movies. Just when one was beginning to despair for the Malayalam film industry for lack of content and substance these films came along and revived the glory days.Mohanlal has essayed a complex character with élan(as usual) and not hesitated in taking potshots at all top stars but most of all at himself. Sreeni has worked his magic not only as the unethical wannabe super star but also through a brilliant script. The support cast is also very good with the inimitable Jagathi Sreekumar leading the way. The 'navaras' scene with Sreeni is side-splitting.But most of all what enthralls is the mind-blowing climax - absolutely brilliant and reveals the immeasurable talents of the newcomer director Roshan Andrews.

In spite of being an ardent Mohanlal fan, I'm afraid to rate this movie just as 'above average' overall. The background of the movie is the film industry itself - about a struggling script writer/director (Mohanlal) and an aspiring actor who becomes a super star (Sreenivasan) after cheating the former. Sreenivasan steals the script of Mohanlal's new project which becomes the turning point in both their lives – the actor rises to stardom by playing the 'right games' with the script and the director finds himself dumped into new lows of career and life. The incident deprives Mohanlal of a career as a film director – also leads to turmoil in his life including separation from his wife (played by Meena, cast as a super star heroine). The theme of 'Udayananu Tharam' touches upon certain avoidable trends apparently plaguing Malayalam cinema industry today such as negative and arrogant attitude of super/mega stars, Producer's interference with Director's prerogatives in film making, etc. The movie depicts the over-dependence of a cinema's fortunes on super stars - and how super stars take undue advantage of this situation. The image conscious super star is shown in the movie as gaining upper hand over the director to modify the scenes in a new movie being shot, so as to safeguard his image, putting the overall story line of the new movie at risk. The movie also shows the shallowness and lack of artistic values present in the outlook of such superstars, who think of themselves to be God's gift to movie world. A sarcastically presented TV interview having Sreenivasan proclaiming that he would certainly have become an IAS officer or a doctor or an engineer had he not come to movies is one of the high points of the movie. The film humorously presents the commercial minded nature of the super star, by showing him venturing into other businesses such as packaged food manufacturing and advertising.The plot apparently has Mohanlal's character in the lead - but having seen the movie, it is Sreenivasan's character that emerges as prominent. Sreenivasan has done extremely well in this very difficult role – the challenge for him was to act as somebody who does not know acting at all. Mohanlal in comparison has not done anything extraordinary. Moreover, there are occasions when he has gone overboard - the scene where he announces the plot for his new project is an example. Meena has done justice to her role as an actress. It so happens that the mainstream story of the split between Mohanlal and Meena and their re-union as climax becomes a tad blurred by the strength of Sreenivasan's character. Jagati Sreekumar has again done his bit well, as Sreenivasan's tutor-turned-manager. Salim Kumar plays an extra artist and the scene in which he becomes tearful while thanking Mohanlal for offering him a 'dialogue-delivering character' is touching. The scene throws a ray of light into the ordeals of thousands of support artistes/staff in a superficially glittering film industry. Cinematography is a plus in this film – the scenes in the film studio where Mohanlal directs his movie are a treat to watch. So are the song scenes. Songs also score high in the movie – 'Karale..Karalinte Karale.' sung by Vineet Sreenivasan has already become a hit. Direction by Roshan Andrews in his debut attempt looks controlled and is promising. Few concluding thoughts – Are the negative sides of super stars as shown in the movie close to reality in Malayalam cinema? The fact that there is absolute lack of serious and thought provoking themes in contemporary Malayalam cinema and this leads to the heavy weight status of the super stars is acceptable. The caricature that the movie has made of a super star is over-exaggerated and extreme, especially with respect to Malayalam superstars. (It will be criminal to even suggest that Malayalam superstars are not skilled actors). If the movie were an honest attempt to point at 'threats' to Malayalam cinema created by super stars, then the fact that this very movie has cast super star Mohanlal as the lead (dependent on him for its success) is a contradiction. In general, 'Udayananu Tharam' is viewable for the following - theme is very different form the rest released in the recent times, camera work and realization of scenes are creative, songs are enjoyable, Sreenivasan's performance is excellent – and that's about the movie.

The movie shows glimpses of the magic that happens when Mohanlal and Srinivasan get together. My opinion is that they have been more entertaining in the past, but this movie is a rare treat in recent times. Srinivasan's son gets to sing a good song, that has become a hit. It brings back memories of the old songs, and Srinivasan is hilarious in the sequences. Mohanlal has a fairly serious role, not given to antics as in the past. Jagathy Sreekumar is watchable, and as usual, given to over acting. He is an actor with great talent, and I wonder why he has to continue to use the cheaper gimmicks to exhibit "comedy". Meena is adequate as the romantic fluff.Altogether a watchable movie, worth the money.

This is not the first time a super hit is born in Malayalam out of a Hollywood flick. Udayananu Tharam is a smart lift from the Steve Martin, Eddie Murphy movie 'Bowfinger'.Except for the stealing of Udayabhanu's script by Rajappan, the rest of the plot is very much similar to Bowfinger. Instead of the flopped director in Bowfinger, you have an aspiring assistant director in the Malayalam film. The superstar Kit Ramsey in Bowfinger becomes Saroj Kumar in Udayananu Tharam. And here too, the film's climax is being filmed without the actor being aware of it.Ironical that a film that centers around copying of a script itself is a take-off of another film!