‘Uttama Villain’ a tad too long but a story that touches the hearts

By Mythily Ramachandran

With death imminent, matinee idol Manoranjan, (Kamal Haasan) who has acquired fame and glory in ample measure has one last wish. He wants his mentor Margadarshi (K. Balachander) to direct him in a story that he has written.
It was Margadarshi who had discovered the actor in Manoranjan. He believes that if made this film would be a memorable one for him. Margadarshi is not keen initially but when he learns that Manoranjan’s life is threatened by brain tumour, he gives in.
So, the film, ‘Uttaman,’ gets rolling. It’s set in the 8^th century with Manoranjan playing the lead role of Uttaman. Ironically Uttaman has survived death on several counts. He is now recognized as ‘mrityunjayan,’ (the man who overcame death) by the villagers.
With a film inside the main film, Haasan’s script alternates between the sets of Uttaman and the life of Manoranjan, the actor.
You learn about Mano’s past lover Yamini and their daughter,  Manomani (Parvathy Menon). Manoranjan is now married to Varalakshmi and they have a son, Manohar. But that does not stop the actor from straying outside marriage and finding a lover in his doctor, Arpana (Andreah Jeremiah).

If Kamal Haasan makes you smile now and then with his comic and naïve behaviour as Uttaman, he also makes you blink your tears when Manoranjan wrestles emotional moments with his two children. The scene between Manoranjan and Manohar tossing the cricket ball was well conceived.

Haasan the versatile performer comes to the fore in these scenes and you can’t help remembering his old hits, ‘Raja Parvai,’ ‘Silangai Oli,’ and ‘Moondram Piravai,’ to mention a few.
At sixty, how many actors can take on a theyyam dance with that heavy headgear and emote too? Haasan is adept as Uttaman the folk artiste. Naïve and sometimes bordering on clowning, Uttaman connives  with the beautiful Jasmine (Pooja Kumar) to kill the wicked Mutharasan, (Nasser) the king of the land and one who desires Jasmine.
It’s a Kamal Haasan show all the way no doubt, but one worth watching the actor in different moods and forms. And look out for the scenes between Haasan and late K. Balachander.
‘Uttama Villain,’ does drag in places though and the frills could have been trimmed. Like the portions revolving around Jasmine and Mutharasan as well as the intimate moments between Manoranjan and Dr. Arpana.
Hats off to Nasser who delighted viewers with his antics as Mutharasan. Not many are aware that this splendid actor was going through a difficult phase in his life during the filming of ‘Uttama Villain.’ His eldest son was critically injured in hospital and the sets gave him the much needed respite from agonizing. Nasser had revealed this during the audio launch ceremony of ‘Uttama Villain.’
Comedian M. S. Bhaskar as Manoranjan’s Manager acquits  his part well. So did Urvashi as Manoranjan’s wife, she was natural and spontaneous. Among the young brigade, Parvathy Menon and Ashwin shine in their roles as Manoranjan’s son and daughter. A pleasant surprise was actor Jayaram who lent a quiet dignity to Jacob Zacharia, his character.
Haasan’s characters cannot be separated into black and white. They are normal humans with failings, be it Chokku Chettiar, who holds back a secret from Manoranjan, or Dr. Arpana, the other woman in Manoranjan’s life.
‘Uttama Villain’ is a thorough entertainer and at its core lies a poignant story.