UI Movie Review : An unconventional commentary on modern society

Upendra’s UI opens with a disclaimer - ‘If you are intelligent, get out of the theatre now. If you are a fool, sit back and watch the film.’ And it is from that moment, he wants you to throw away your phone and solely focus on what he is about to preach. Are you intelligent enough to leave the theatre following the ego-hurting disclaimer, or, are you smart enough to sit back for some ‘paisa vasool’? He lets ‘U’ decide, thus carefully shifting the blame, in case if you don’t like the film, on ‘U’. Filmmakers are now using every tactic to make a film for the generation that is addicted to spending hours on minute-long Instagram Reels. How do you make a film that will want the viewers not to look at their phones? Director Upendra does it, and in his own signature style.
Breaking away from the commercial tropes of hero, heroine, action sequences and comedy, Upendra, in UI, makes ‘U’ and ‘I’, the lead characters. In a dual role that metaphorically speaks for itself, Upendra is ‘Satya’, a do-gooder stereotypically dressed in white, and a baddie ‘Kalki’, again, stereotypically, dressed in black. Satya wants to bring back the righteousness that supposedly existed in Satyayuga, while Kalki, obviously, is against it. And if you ask who wins in the end, it is Upendra’s political views.
Upendra has remained synonymous with different and with UI, he adds another 'different film' to his filmography. There are two scenes that pay homage to his debut film ‘A’, and one of the character’s names is Satya (a reminder of Shivarajkumar’s character in Upendra's directorial OM). There is hardly any scope to look for ‘performance’ as UI, as the director claims, is a reflection of life itself. Women, including Reeshma Nanaiah, are reduced to mere objects of desire.
Upendra’s films are so far known for their unique narrative and compelling storytelling, but this film feels more like a lecture than a cinematic experience. The philosophical elements fail to translate into engaging cinema as he tries to preach too many elements. A 2000-year-odd history is crunched into a 2-hour-long film. Rather than a ‘cinematic experience’, the movie seems like an outlet to express frustration vented out against the current political and social climate of the country. He sure makes all the valid points in the last 5–7 minutes of the film, but the rest of the 2 hours doesn’t organically lead up to it. He plays with the narration and screenplay, and even challenges the film critics to review the film. Just like his debut film, A, this movie also has a movie within a movie.
Starting from Adam and Eve to Kalki, Upendra brings all cultures, religions, countries under one umbrella and wants them to unitedly fight against the common enemy - the power of distraction exploited by politicians. He urges people to focus on the complexities of life, the chaos of modern society, global warming, and the imbalances plaguing humanity, growing divide between the rich and poor, role of media in spreading fake and paid news, impact of social media, and not be distracted by blind religious faith, caste supremacy. He ends the film with a political view he has stood for since his ‘Super’ days - It’s all in your hands. Focus seems to be the focus of UI.
Breaking out of a prison that is shaped like a brain, and fighting the ‘arishadvargas’, he reiterates that solutions to all the persisting problems are well within your control.
Technically the film is not very sound. Shot completely in two different sets with 2 opposite colour pallets, the film frequently switches between two worlds, failing to create visual harmony. Since the focus is to deliver real eye-opening experience and not a cinematic one, it may matter to many. Somewhere, Upendra, who is returning to direction after a decade, seems to be lost in an overwhelming sea of philosophical preachings. Ajaneesh Loknath’s intro for Kalki is a banger. The film has two songs - Troll Agatte, and Cheap Cheap - both placed abruptly between the scenes.
In the last few minutes, he emphasises people to think critically and individually and not to be influenced by things that are fed to them systematically through media, and consume only what is meant for them. Upendra teases the audience about problems existing in society, while leaving the interpretation to ‘U’ and ‘I’, thus leaving the door open for individual perspectives on all things political and social. Will ‘U’ do it yourself, or will ‘U’ let another director-actor influence ’U’ with his views? ‘U’ must decide! Unlike a warner, it is advised to keep an open mind while watching this film.