Director Caarthick Raju, who made a good debut with the emotional cop thriller Thirudan Police, is back with a crime drama, Ulkuthu. He has joined hands yet again with 'Attakathi' Dinesh and Bala Saravanan, who were instrumental in the success of his previous venture.
Dinesh goes to a fishing hamlet, makes friends with Bala Saravanan and eventually picks up a fight with a local don. How does he tackle the goons and why does he have to fight them in the first place, form the base for Ulkuthu. Though the film travels in a very familiar path, Caarthick Raju springs in a surprise or two, now and then, which keeps the audience in the hook.
Just like in Thirudan Police, comedy is a major part of this movie as well. Bala Saravanan has tried his best to tickle the funny bone, which largely works. He is coming into his own as a lead comedian and his antics bring about quite a few bouts of laughter.
The director makes sure that the comedy is integrated even in the most serious of sequences. But one feels the core storyline and the screenplay could have been better. Ulkuthu has a tried and tested script with a not so gripping screenplay.
Dinesh gets to play another weird character. Though he has tried to do his best, you feel there is something lifeless about his role. Maybe the purpose of his doing is not satisfactory and the way it is treated is a tad artificial. Nandita gives a functional performance while John Vijay and Chaya Singh do not get much scope to showcase their range.
Finally, actor Sriman is given a role that doesn’t involve any slapstick comedy because of late, we have only seen him in such roles. Sriman comes across as a true natural in a couple of scenes, especially the sequence where he cries. Sharath Lohitashwa and Dhilip Subbarayan play the antagonists in the film. Their character sketches could have been more effective. Even the fight scenes could have packed with more punch.
Justin Prabhakaran’s ‘Pesayum Esaya’ track gave the movie a fair amount of buzz when it got released. Even ‘Kuru Kuru’ song is so pleasant on the ears, but on screen, there isn’t anything special to lift these good numbers. The background score also lacks charm. PK Varma’s cinematography passes muster and the visuals are what you would expect from a typical crime drama. Though there is nothing new in Ulkuthu that entertains you thoroughly, it still has its moments.