What will you do if you want to make a film, with the idea inspired from a Hollywood hit and has a shaky script to rely on? Perhaps during such a situation, debutant director Rajesh Nair chose to place the story in Uganda! Smart thinking that for sure, but sadly, the innovative ideas end there!
Shikha Samuel (Rima Kallingal) had eloped with her husband Jayakrishnan (Vijay Babu), soon after their marriage to Uganda so that she can be away from her wealthy dad. Now they have a daughter.
As fate would have it, Shikha is the prime accused in the murder of her friend and another woman that happens on a fateful night. She is hesitant to say what had happened that night and is promptly sent to the jail. Now, her husband tries to save her from jail.
Evidently inspired from the 2010 Hollywood thriller The Next Three Days, this film suffers from bad writing, amateurish execution and some thoroughly ordinary performances. Though it is just about two hours long, this one tests your patience big time. The visuals are good and the music is fine. Though we won’t play spoilsports, can the makers explain if the climax of the film was intended to be a modern version of the final moments in Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge?
Rima Kallingal unleashes an earnest performance but it is a barely challenging role for an actor to display her talents. Vijay Babu has a single expression throughout the film, Mukesh has nothing much to do and Parthiban hams it up with a comic show. The actors from the African country look okay at best.
Apart from the credit that it becomes the first Malayalam film to be shot in Africa, Escape from Uganda barely entertains the viewer. If you are the kind who watches spectacular thrillers made in various languages, the only feeling after going for this boring saga is to search the door to escape from the theatre! Watch this one at your risk please.
Movie: Escape from Uganda
Director: Rajesh Nair
Cast: Rima Kallingal, Vijay Babu, Parthiban
Cinematographer: Vishnu Sharma