Movie : Uu Kodathara Ulikki Padathara
Director : Sekhar Raja
Producer : Lakshmi Prasanna
Music : Bobo Sashi
Cast : Nandamuri Balakrishna, Manchu Manoj, Deeksha Seth, Manchu Lakshmi Prasanna
Uu Kodathara Ulikki Padathara starts off on a dull note, but it picks up momentum just before the interval with the arrival of Nandamuri Balakrishna.
While portions of Balakrishna, and stunning performance of Manchu Lakshmi towards the end, give the film a good appeal but on the whole it never gives goose bumps as the title suggests. Nor does it provide thrilling moments or element of surprise so necessary for a movie that is supposedly a horror and ghost movie with graphics work.
Rayudu (Prabhu) owns an ancestral palace Gandharva Mahal and he rents it to out to several tenants. They don`t pay him the rent properly and refuse to vacate it. In comes a youngster (Manoj) seeking a room in the palace. The youngster bluffs the tenants with various scary stories and makes them leave the place.
Rayudu has two daughters (Madhumita and Deeksha) and the palace is possessed by a spirit. When Rayudu gets ready to marry off his elder daughter, the spirit`s presence is felt. What connection does this youngster have with the spirit and what is his real motto behind doing all the good work for Rayudu forms the rest of the story.
The film`s basic concept is interesting but the narration is inconsistent all along. The other main problem with the movie is that the writer and director insert too many sub plots which remind you of Arundhati and Kanchana.
The film has some other merits like lavish sets and rich productions values but the poor writing and passive narration outweigh the positive elements.
Balakrishna comes up with a fine portrayal of a royal figure. It is nice of him to do a guest role being such a mass star. Manchu Manoj`s different getups and experimentation in looks should be appreciated. But these getups and his hyperactive performances don`t gel well with the story. Lakshmi Manchu once again proves that is talented. Her acting in the climax sequences comes as a big surprise.
Sonu Sood is okay in a role that seems to be an extension of his character in Arundhati. Tamil actor Prabhu, Suhasini, Bhanu Chander, Gollapudi Maruthi Rao and Chalapati Rao are satisfactory. Heroine Deeksha Seth doesn`t make any impact.
On technical front, cinematography by Rajasekhar is impressive and art direction is significant. Not a single song by Bobo Sashi is good. Editing should have been crispier. Dialogues are monotonous.
New director Sekhar Raja has failed in narrating the story convincingly as his scenes lack emotional impact. So bad is the writing that, we actually feel sorry for Sonu Sood instead of hating him.
The basic concept of Uu Kodathara Ulikki Padathara is nice but it is told incoherently. Except Balakrishna and Manchu Lakshmi, the film doesn`t provide any element of surprise, nor engrossing moments. A taut screenplay and better character sketches would have made a difference to this lavishly produced movie.