Uma Maheswara Ugra Roopasya Review: A Riveting Revenge Drama!

A remake of the 2016 Malayalam film, Maheshinte Prathikaaram, Uma Maheswara Ugra Roopasya stars Satyadev Kancharana in the lead role with Hari Chandana and Roopa Koduvayur as the female leads. Veteran actors – VK Naresh and Raghavan alongside Suhas and TNR fill in as the supporting cast. Helmed by Venkatesh Maha (the director of the critically acclaimed drama – c/o Kancharapalem), this movie explores the diffident life of Uma Maheswar Rao and his journey of overcoming a variety of real-life situations.

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The storyline of Uma Maheswara Ugra Roopasya opens with our principal character, Mahesh, who always keeps things simple from his professional life as a photographer and his photo studio to his long-distance, sincere relationship with his childhood sweetheart, Swati. Subsequently, certain things do not go in his favor as he plots to seek retribution on the people who made his life miserable, which makes up for the remainder of the film.

Set in the scenic countryside of Visakhapatnam district, the story of Uma Maheswara Ugra Roopasya, similar to its lead character and vibe, is pure and uncomplicated through and through. However, the screenplay is the primary constituent which shone brightly in the film, and, without a doubt, the most significant one when compared to others.

Establishing an entire movie around a straightforward plot is no easy task, and Venkatesh Maha (who adapted from the original written by Syam Pushkaran) did an excellent job maintaining the engagement factor and moving the narrative on an unpredictable note. Consequently, he succeeds in setting up compelling characters, made excellent use of rib-tickling comedy that primarily consists of banter and drama that we usually witness in every smalltown.

Moving on to the main crux of Uma Maheswara Ugra Roopasya, which are the handful of plot points that influenced the ongoing narrative. Beginning with the character of Mahesh, who goes through a complete trajectory from an introvert, defeated relationship-wise, a trouble-free person who never confronted anybody in his entire life and being humiliated publicly, losing his self-confidence and worth in a petty fight. To setting his goals straight, transforming into a stubborn man, recognizing the real emotion behind his profession, becoming confident at what he does, learning from his previous mistakes, and finally coming out as a better man by the very end.

When it comes to the performances, Satyadev Kancharana mesmerizes through his performance and completely immerses himself wholly in his character. The innocent traits which are noticeable through his demeanor, facial expressions, dialogue delivery, and the common man look suited to his role perfectly inside and out. Naresh as his well-wisher and compadre at almost everything, gives a pretty delightful performance alongside the other supporting cast including, Suhas and TNR.

The female leads, Roopa and Chandana, preserved that fresh new feel to the film with their natural appearances and candid performances as they are a delight to watch on-screen. Furthermore, K. Raghavan, a veteran actor in Malayalam cinema, adds that much-needed mystery to his unorthodox character and plays a very significant role in the movie.

Similar to the screenplay, the technical aspects also carried an equal amount of importance from Bijibal’s euphonious music and dynamic background score to Appu Prabhakar’s exquisite cinematography, and above all, the breathtaking vicinities of Araku Valley. The misty mornings, the lush green terrains, and at capturing the simple lives of the people in the city, this movie offered a novel experience that is unlike anything I’ve ever seen before.

Overall, barring a few unwanted scenes and middling characters, Uma Maheswara Ugra Roopasya might seem conventional on the surface level but, it keeps the narrative very intriguing with a written screenplay and other components including comedy, funny characters, and the technicalities. The performances, especially from Satyadev Kancharana are remarkable to watch, and the picturesque locales of Araku add more uniqueness to the film. A riveting tale a remake that is true to it’s original. Watch ‘Uma Maheswara Ugra Roopasya’ on Netflix here.

Rating – 3.5/5 | Grade – B+

Images via Netflix