Uppena: A deluge of emotions contained till the end

Director: Buchi Babu Sana

Music director: Devi Sri Prasad

Producers: Sukumar, Y. Ravi Shankar, Y. Naveen

A romantic drama, written and directed by debutant Bucchi Babu Sana, a close associate of Sukumar who worked together in Rangasthalam, Nanaku Prematho and others. At first, this movie emblazoned to me as a Season 2 of Rangasthalam, as you cannot elude pointing out parallels in between. For instance the lead actor portrayed with a physical deficit, or the role of Jagapathi Babu and Vijay Sethupathi. A little later, you realise that this is of a different cadre and the director has something new to show.

The storyline is a very much an old wine in a new bottle kinds, while the director sticking to ages old success formula of poor guy falling for rich girl and vice versa comprising the cast issue. All you get to see initially is a young guy Aasi (Vaishnav Tej) falling in head over heels for Bebamma/Sangeetha (Advaitha/Krithi Shetty) who is a world's apart and her father Rayanam (Vijay Sethupathi) playing the spoil sport. But the climax has novel twist which can be attributed as the spine of the entire movie.

Vaishnav Tej makes a promising debute with his expressions and body language clearly set for the character. He will have to work very hard in his future endeavors in the acting department to sustain himself in the industry.

Vijay Sethupathi undoubtedly puts up a great act in the villainous character, much to what we saw him in Master. He has proved that he is an artist credible of performing mixed roles.

Sai Chand as hero father enacted the role flawlessly. His dialect with versatile acting skills puts him well in the role.

Geetha Bhascker (of Fidaa fame) has a small role to play but the message she conveys gives life to the twist in climax.

Advaitha (Krithi Shetty) as bebamma is the Apple of Eye enacting her bubbly and bold character and is here to steal the show.

The Technical Department has put in a lot of hard work capturing the locations in a beautiful manner and the camera work to be appreciated for the show. All the characters involved in side roles played their part very well. Buchi Babu Sana ensured throughout the audience are for a visual feast and the dialogues are hard hitting and funny taking their sides.

Music by Devi Sri Prasad is not extraordinary but sounds fresh and foot-tapping. We've heard better of him in the past but this will not refute the same. The bgm with the photography goes down very well and the songs alongside the movie sounds situational and catchy.

Everyone who has seen the movie with me felt the narrative has gone slow sometimes and dragged a bit in the second half. It could have cut down a little in length and the screenplay could have been better.

Uppena is a "worth watching" movie although with a vintage tale with its brave depiction of superiority and malice in a community bound to customs or traditions and how the subjects fight back to overcome the same.