‘Ustaad’ movie review: A slow drive

Sri SimhaKoduri, who has been entertaining audiences with his different scripts, has now come up with the film “Ustaad.” Directed by Phanideep, the film has Kavya Kalyanram as the female lead. “Ustaad” hit the screens, and let’s see how it fares at box-office.

Story

The film is about Surya (Sri SimhaKoduri), an aimless youngster. His life takes a complete turn after he purchases his first bike. It is named “Ustaad” by a mechanic played by Ravindra Vijay. Surya gets emotionally attached to his bike, which stimulates him to become a pilot. Also, he falls in love with Meghana (Kavya Kalyanram). But Surya faces roadblocks in his love life. What are they? How did Surya sort them out? Did Surya achieve his dream? This forms part plot of the story.

Analysis

Moment-driven stories like 'Ustaad' require a compelling narrative to maintain the audience's interest. Filmmakers such as Gautham Menon and Sandeep Vanga have employed this technique to create timeless works.Director Phanideep, seemingly inspired by these directors, has penned a script about an impulsive young man and attempted to chronicle his journey, but he lacks the verve to do so.

On paper, the concept of a motorcycle transforming a man's life and propelling him to become a pilot is thrilling. However, the director has struggled to convey it in an engaging manner.The story unfolds in a small town near Hyderabad before the state was divided, an era devoid of smartphones. As a result, we witness the hero and heroine conversing on the porch and engaging in simple yet charming romantic sequences.

A significant subplot involves a drunken mechanic, an expert in bikes, who mentors the hero on trusting machines. He hypothesizes that machines remain faithful whereas humans deceive. However, this extended thread becomes tiresome after a certain point.

It's only after the interval that the film starts to find its footing, offering moments of enjoyment. The final half-hour, in particular, surpasses the preceding drama.The decision to depict the protagonist as a pilot adds a positive dimension to the film. While the intentions are commendable and the efforts sincere, the narrative fails to grip.

On a whole, 'Ustaad' doesn't deliver an engaging experience, despite sporadic moments of brilliance.

Performances

Sri SimhaKoduri plays the role of Surya in “Ustaad,” who dreams of becoming a pilot and fights against all the odds in life to achieve his dream. He effortlessly pulls off scenes where he shows anger and other emotions to the other characters in the story. The actor has once again proved that his plot selection is not only versatile but also has great scope for performance. He is natural in his appearance and performance, both as the boy next door and as the first officer. This will be remembered as one of his finest performances.

Kavya Kalyanram shines in the role of a bright and simple girl in love with Surya. The chemistry worked out well on the big screen.Gautham Vasudev Menon’s cameo appearance as Captain Joseph D’Souza was crisp in acting level and had well-maintained emotion throughout his screen time.All the other extended cast members have put forth good performances, which have made the film stand out.

Technicalities

Debutant director, Phanideep, he chose a very good point but didn’t succeed in translating the same onto the screen effectively. The idea of making a bike act as a catalyst agent for the protagonist’s dream is fine, but the main issue is with the narration. The first half had some decent moments, but the entire second half is filled with repetitive scenes that damper the film’s soul.

Coming to other technical aspects, a couple of songs composed by Akeeva B were good on screen. The background score is fine. The cinematography by Pavan Kumar Pappula is neat. The production values are nice. Editing can be more sharp and runtime can also be reduced.

Advantages

Artists performances

Couple of sequences in the final hour

Drawbacks

Boring first half

Amateur writing

Slow-paced narration