Uttama Villain
Reviews
timesofindia
Uttama Villain is one of those films with a meta narrative where the line between the reel and the real becomes hard to distinguish. It stars Kamal Haasan as a superstar, Manoranjan, who goes back to his mentor Margadarisi (played by K Balachander, the real-life Margadarisi, who shaped Kamal's career) and asks him to direct him one last time after he learns that he has only a few days to live. This ticks off his father-in-law Poorna Chandra Rao, the producer who turned him into a superstar, and his wife Varalakshmi, who move out of the house with his son, not realizing the real reason behind his move. Manoranjan also learns that he has a grown-up daughter from Yamini, the love of his life, who he had to leave to marry Varalakshmi. Meanwhile, in the film within the film, a period comedy titled Uttama Villain, Manoranjan plays Uttaman, a man (who is also an actor — a Theeyam artist) who is mistaken to be immortal, and a devious king, Mutharasan, believing the rumour, wants him to reveal the secret behind his immortality. But with time running out for Manoranjan, can he become immortal on screen? Uttama Villain is first and foremost a glorious showcase for Kamal the writer. The script superbly blends subtlety with slapstick and the emotional moments never descend into full-blown melodrama. There are times when we get the feeling that Kamal is dipping into his own movie star life — the opening song Loveaa Loveaa seems to be his admission of acting in roles not suited to his age, pairing up with heroines half his age; when he seeks out Margadarisi, the director tells him he cannot make a story of the star that he is now; when he is consoling his son after revealing to him the illness, it is marred by fans who invade this deeply private moment. Such acute observations add texture to the scenes and make the characters more alive for us. The Uttaman portions are quite a contrast and serve chiefly function as a means to give a break to the heavily dramatic nature of the scenes involving Manoranjan. While the terrific score by Ghibran complements and enhances the drama, visually, the film lacks the dazzle of the writing (the Uttaman segment is mounted like a skit, with tacky visual effects) and the performances of Andrea and Pooja Kumar are strictly OK; if you wish the former had been more expressive, the later does the opposite. Among the huge list of supporting characters, it is only MS Bhaskar, who gives an affecting performance as Manoranjan's manager Chokku, and K Balachander, whose recent demise gives this story an additional emotional heft, are the only stand-outs. The slapstick portions involving Uttaman should have been crisper and given that by know we are familiar with Kamal's tics, his performance as Uttaman doesn't hold any surprise. But the actor more than makes up for it with Manoranjan; he doesn't strain to make the role more empathetic and it is a remarkably restrained, heart-tugging performance from an actor who, at times, has a tendency to overplay his roles. We come to care so much for this character that by the time the film ends, we realize our eyes have become misty.
Movie Recommendation
Detective Byomkesh Bakshy!2015-04-02Byomkesh, fresh out of college, agrees to investigate the disappearance of Bhuvan, a chemist. Assisted by Bhuvan's son Ajit, Byomkesh links the case to a larger conspiracy that will unsettle Calcutta.More...
Rahasya2015-01-30Only child of a doctor couple is murdered in her sleep inside their large duplex apartment.More...
Manmadhan Ambu2010-12-23Madhan is convinced that Ambu is unfaithful and refuses to pay detective Mannar when he reports otherwise. Wanting to make money to help a friend, Mannar cooks up stories about Ambu's infidelity.More...
Vishwaroopam2013-01-25Vishwanathan, a Kathak dance teacher in New York, is happy in his marriage with Nirupama, a nuclear oncologist who married him to pursue higher studies in the USA. Deciding to cut ties with her husband, Nirupama hires a private detective to monitor his activities. To her utter shock, certain truths about her husband are subsequently revealed, setting off a chain of events that will change both of their lives irreversibly.More...
Prem Ratan Dhan Payo2015-11-11While recovering from an assassination attempt four days before his coronation, a stern prince is replaced by a romantic lookalike.More...
Manjummel Boys2024-02-22Manjummel Boys, based on a real story, is about a bunch of friends who set out on a trip to Kodaikanal and the events that occur there.More...
Shalini Ente Koottukari1980-03-21A young and beautiful student finds comfort in her studies and in the environment of her college as it keeps her away from the taunts of her stepmother. Her brother's suicide makes her emotionally weak; but she decides to return to college..More...
Vishwaroopam II2018-08-09RAW agent Wisam Ahmad Kashmiri prevents an al-Qaida terrorist from executing a massive attack on New York. He must now wade through further traps and conspiracies to thwart a new plot against three democratic nations.More...
Vai Raja Vai2015-05-01Karthik, who has ESP, helps his friend Panda win a betting game with his power, but this lands him in trouble with Randhai, the gangster who funded the betting operation, who, now, wants him to use his power and make a killing at a casino.More...
Harishchandrachi Factory2009-01-15In 1913 India's cinema industry is born from Dadasaheb Phalke's efforts to make Raja Harishchandra (1913), India's first feature-length B&W silent film.More...
Django Unchained2012-12-25With the help of a German bounty hunter, a freed slave sets out to rescue his wife from a brutal Mississippi plantation owner.More...
Paparazzi1998-12-18A montley group of free-lance photographers are desperate to grab a good shot of a celebrity.More...
Cyberbully2011-11-10A woman tries to help her teenage daughter when she becomes the victim of online bullying.More...
Resident Evil: Retribution2012-09-12The Umbrella Corporation’s deadly T-virus continues to ravage the Earth, transforming the global population into legions of the flesh eating Undead. The human race’s last and only hope, Alice, awakens in the heart of Umbrella’s most clandestine operations facility and unveils more of her mysterious past as she delves further into the complex. Without a safe haven, Alice continues to hunt those responsible for the outbreak; a chase that takes her from Tokyo to New York, Washington, D.C. and Moscow, culminating in a mind-blowing revelation that will force her to rethink everything that she once thought to be true. Aided by new found allies and familiar friends, Alice must fight to survive long enough to escape a hostile world on the brink of oblivion. The countdown has begun.More...
G-Force2009-07-24A team of trained secret agent animals, guinea pigs Darwin, Hurley, Juarez, Blaster, mole Speckles, and fly Mooch takes on a mission for the US government to stop evil Leonard Saber, who plans to destroy the world with household appliances. But the government shuts them down and they are sentenced to a pet shop. Can they escape to defeat the villain and save the world?More...
The Avengers2012-04-25When an unexpected enemy emerges and threatens global safety and security, Nick Fury, director of the international peacekeeping agency known as S.H.I.E.L.D., finds himself in need of a team to pull the world back from the brink of disaster. Spanning the globe, a daring recruitment effort begins!More...
Christmas Wedding Planner2017-12-14Wedding Planner, Kelsey Wilson, is about to have her big break: planning her beloved cousin's lavish and exclusive wedding. Everything is going smoothly until Connor McClane, a devilishly handsome private investigator, shows up and turns Kelsey's world upside-down. Hired by a secret source, Connor quickly disrupts the upcoming nuptials but wins Kelsey's heart in the process.More...
Arthur 3: The War of the Two Worlds2010-08-22With Maltazard now seven feet tall and Arthur still two inches small, our hero must find a way to grow back to his normal size and stop the Evil M once and for all, with the help of Selenia and Betameche.More...
In the House2012-09-26A sixteen-year-old boy insinuates himself into the house of a fellow student from his literature class and writes about it in essays for his French teacher. Faced with this gifted and unusual pupil, the teacher rediscovers his enthusiasm for his work, but the boy’s intrusion will unleash a series of uncontrollable events.More...
The DUFF2015-02-20Bianca's universe turns upside down when she learns that her high school refers to her as a ‘DUFF' (Designated Ugly Fat Friend). Hoping to erase that label, she enlists the help of a charming jock and her favorite teacher. Together they'll face the school's mean girl and remind everyone that we are all someone's DUFF… and that's totally fine.More...
Similar Movies
Dirty Angels
2024-12-11During the United States' 2021 withdrawal from Afghanistan, a group of female soldiers posing as medical relief are sent back in to rescue a group of kidnapped teenagers caught between ISIS and the Taliban.Take and Run
2020-08-04A young Kyrgyz woman is kidnapped and forced to marry. A drama about the desire for freedom in the clutches of a tradition.Dukhtar
2014-09-18In the mountains of Pakistan, a mother and her ten-year-old daughter flee their home on the eve of the girl's marriage to a tribal leader. A deadly hunt for them begins.Secret Men's Business...
1999-01-01Secret Men's Business explores the relationships and issues of 4 school-friends reunited after the death of a beloved school teacher. During a weekend of sun, surf, girls, wives and late night reminiscing, the friends begin to deal with certain truths which have been ignored for some time. As relationships and issues are explored, the friends face their own personal challenges amidst a contempt bourne out of familiarity.The Legend of Ruby Pa...
No data for this movieRuby Pasha, an aspiring entomologist from a village in Pakistan, disappears after killing her fiancé and his evil family who threatened to kill her for breaking off the engagement. As news of the killings spreads globally, Ruby is turned into a revolutionary icon.Osama
2004-03-24After the rise of the Taliban in Afghanistan and the restriction of women in public life, a preteen girl is forced to masquerade as a boy in order to find work to support her mother and grandmother.Random Love Story
1974-01-01This 50-minutes long TV production, Wiszniewski's only feature film, is the story of a young worker, who is given a flat by his union commission on condition that he gets married.My Little Bride
2004-04-02A teenage girl tries to continue her normal social and school life, after her grandfather forces her into an arranged marriage with a man in his twenties.The Beauty of Athens
1954-03-13A streetwise guy, according to a will, has to marry an extremely ugly old lady to get the money of the inheritance.So he tries to trick a poor devil into getting married with her.Arne Meets Death
2022-12-21The year is 1995. It knocks on the door of 'Greedy Arne' Nyman's dilapidated house. It is Death who has come to take him. Greedy Arne is not worried of Death, he is more afraid of door-to-door sellers, but first he has something vital to deal with. It will be the beginning of a walk with Death by his side, which continues in an old rusty Volvo 240.Ju Dou
1990-04-21Tianqing falls in love with Ju Dou, his uncle's wife who is tortured for being childless. However, after they have an affair, they discover that his uncle is impotent and try to conceal the truth.Duck Butter
2018-04-27Dissatisfied with the dishonesty they see in dating, strangers Naima and Sergio make a pact to spend 24 straight hours together in an attempt to fast forward their relationship.Atlantics
2019-10-02Arranged to marry a rich man, young Ada is crushed when her true love goes missing at sea during a migration attempt — until a miracle reunites them.The Brothers' Woman
1943-11-22City girl Emma marries the farmer Nicklas but gets involved in a love triangle with his brother Ragnar.Songs Within
2024-01-18The musically highly gifted maid Elsie, who longs for a career as a musician, is forced into marriage with Jacob, a young stable boy who dreams of owning his own horse. Both have to learn that they can only escape their lack of opportunities if they team up.Babes in Toyland
1934-12-14Ollie Dee and Stannie Dum try to borrow money from their employer, the toymaker, to pay off the mortgage on Mother Peep's shoe and keep it and Little Bo Peep from the clutches of the evil Barnaby. When that fails, they trick Barnaby, enraging him.Recently, My Sister I...
2014-05-17Mitsuki and Yuya become stepsister and stepbrother because of their parents' marriage. Mitsuki can't get along with her new family and Yuya doesn't know how to approach his new stepsister. One day, Mitsuki becomes possessed by the spirit of Hiyori. Hiyori likes Yuya and believes Yuya can help her get to heaven. Hiyori places a leather chastity belt upon on Mitsuki and a plan takes place to help send Hiyori to heaven.Two Weeks in Another ...
1962-08-17After spending three years in an asylum, a washed-up actor views a minor assignment from his old director in Rome as a chance for personal and professional redemption.Day by Day
2022-02-05Five people embark on a motorhome road trip through Europe to fulfill an elderly man's last wish. "Day by Day" is a life-affirming comedy with a lot of humor and some seriousness. Friendships develop, love arises and life-changing decisions are made, a story that it is never too late to rethink in life.Ordinary Things
2024-08-11After faking a wedding with her childhood best friend to please her mom's dying wish, Dannie, an insatiable idealist, is faced with a dilemma when her mother is miraculously healed.