Ulajh - Sluggish and Unexciting

 

Movie: Ulajh
Rating: 2/5

Cast:  Janhvi Kapoor, Gulshan Devaiah, Roshan Mathew, Rajesh Tailang, Adil Hussain and others. 

Director: Sudhanshu Saria
Produced By: Junglee Pictures

Release Date: August 02, 2024

Story:

Suhana ( Janhvi Kapoor), an IFS officer, secures a prestigious position as the youngest Deputy High Commissioner of India in the UK. While some may question her appointment, she remains resolute in demonstrating her capabilities. Nevertheless, she quickly becomes ensnared in a complex web of deceit and realizes that she is merely a pawn in a grander scheme. The film is all about how Suhana retaliates and proves her mettle while saving the country from a big threat. 

Performances:

Janhvi Kapoor gave a committed performance as Suhana and tried to be as natural with her acting. Gulshan Devaiah performs as well as usual but lacks the intensity required to perform a terrorist role. Despite having a sinister glint and the slyness of a blackmailer, he falls short of portraying a weapon-wielding criminal. The chemistry between Janhvi and Gulshan is undeniably strong. Roshan Mathew injects much-needed humor into the film with his Malayalam lines in a scene. His effortless on-screen presence overshadows the rest of the cast throughout the movie, though he has a limited scope. Rajesh Tailang, Adil Hussain, and other artists were appropriate.

What worked for the film:

The last thirty minutes or so work in favor of the film. The tension and shock that Suhana experiences during the intermission are also well portrayed. Ulajh also deserves credit for its well-shot scenes and stylishly choreographed action sequences

What did not work for the film:

Director Sudhanshu Saria, known for his gay love story 'Loev' and currently anticipating the release of 'Sanaa,' struggles to maintain coherence in 'Ulajh.' This may be attributed to his ambition to encompass too many elements within the narrative, which resulted in none of those angles being fully explored. While Saria successfully elicits measured performances from his cast, the screenplay ultimately fails to provide the necessary support. Though Ulajh could have been a compelling thriller, it fails to engage thoroughly because of the haphazard narration. 

Ulajh Review and Verdict:

Ulajh's storyline shows promise; however, excessive genre clichés and poorly crafted twists spoil the overall appeal. Aside from a handful of parts in the latter half, the film does not engage the audience at all.