Debutant director S. Balan takes a bird's eye view of the corrupt and complicated system of education and presents it in a humourous way.
The film takes a dig at private schools which has turned into a lucrative business running right under the lens of the government and police. Without melodrama, and lofty speeches the director packages the film in an interesting manner.
Udumban (Dilip Rogger) is an illiterate, uncouth in a village who is a professional thief who roams around with a huge monitor lizard on his shoulder. His life revolves around his mother as he goes about stealing money and gold from the rich and powerful in the area and sharing it with the local police. His elder brother Kaali who is a ruthless ruffian is in jail after he killed a girl who Udumban was to marry!
Once during one of his missions, he tries to steal money from a police officer's house but when the couple confesses that there is nothing at home as an English medium school where they admitted their kids had looted them high and dry, Udumban gets this wonderful idea to start a school, from which he can now loot parents!
He starts a small school with whatever savings he had but soon he goes to jail leaving the responsibility of running it with brother Kaali who is back home. After six months, Udumban returns to his village to realize that Kaali has become an educationist as he even built a new school which admits kids who pay huge donations and fee from the locals.
One of the chief problems with Udumban is that after a point, everyone becomes a caricature especially Kaali with his over-the-top emotions and dialogue delivery. Just can't figure out if the director was making a spoof, while addressing a topical issue of how education has become big business and the attitude of teachers towards kids. Two songs in the second half test your patience.
Of the cast Dilip Rogger as the unpolished Udumban is confident and delivered an uninhibited performance. Heroines Sana and Geethika have nothing much to do, while characters who play Udumban's mother and friend is good. Music is average.
On the whole, the film is well-intentioned, humourous and criticizes the flaws of our education system and how anybody can start a school with prime focus on minting money in an entertaining manner. It addresses the topical issue about the challenge that parents go through to get their kids admitted to private schools.
Verdict: Average
No comments:
Post a Comment