Udhaharanam Sujatha

Manju Warrier reinvents her showmanship with Udhaharanam Sujatha where she brilliantly plays the role of a harried mother trying to make ends meet and painstakingly finance her daughter's education. Although a remake, the emotional drama has shades of Malayalam that makes it a worthwhile watch for those haven't caught the original or the Tamil version. Of course, director Phantom Praveen depends heavily of sentimentalism and uses a weepy score and sensitivity in all sequences to make his audience connect (and weep) with Sujatha, the protagonist, but the highlight of his recipe is in how he makes his actors carry their characters. In addition to Warrier's stupendous performance, newcomer Anaswara Rajan, Joju George, and Nedumudi Venu act like they are real people. It's so refreshing to see them act you can easily ignore the preachy undertone of the film that also tries to convey the hardships of parents in the Bellow Poverty Line families of India. Education is not cheap and Udhaharanam Sujatha tries to showcase that plus how grueling it is to learn that your kid is not too enthusiastic about it. It's heartbreaking. Despite the rushed climax, the film manages to succeed in most departments and crescendos well. Udhaharanam Sujatha is not perfect but the actors are perfect enough to give it a try. TN.