Unique in its theme and ambitious in its making, the plot is set into the future — 2025. A fictional Indo-China war and it’s repercussion in the life of an Indian soldier, forms the core of the plot. But a theme of this complexity warrants a treatment that is mature, sensible and lends a realistic feel. The scripting and treatment is so amateurish that it looks like the debutant director was bogged down by the sheer magnitude of the concept he has chosen.
It’s not exactly a war-film. After a few scenes of battle, there are no combat scenes or any scene that depict war. The plot is about the interrogation of an Indian army major by a Chinese colonel. The war which began in 2022 had ended with the Chinese having to bear the brunt of it. Miserably failing in their aggression, the Chinese had sent a secret platoon of soldiers into the Indian territory.
But with no news of their whereabouts or the fate of their mission, a worried Chinese colonel Lim captures Saravanan, a major in the Indian army to ferret out information about the fate of his men. The Colonel has a personal stake in it too.
The interrogation begins well enough. Saravanan is tortured in novel ways (some of them amusing), in a secret underground chamber. Grim and dimly lit, the ambiance gives the right feel. Saravanan is blackmailed and even bribed to reveal the whereabouts of the Chinese soldiers.
In a brief flashback we get to learn about the Major’s family life. But after a while the whole scenario turns laughable. The Chinese Colonel Lim (the Singapore based Wilson) speaks fluent Tamil but with a strange accent. His amateurish acting makes him look like a caricature. And of course Lim’s funny Tamil accent causes a lot of unintentional humour.
Sunil seems to be a promising action-hero in the making. He has the physique and the demeanour that suits the role of the tough army man — courageous and defiant. He could, however, have been guided better by the director. The script could have done with more depth and sensibility.
Moondram Ulaga Por is bold and experimental in its concept. But it falls short on ideas and execution and seems too much of a challenge for a debutant maker.
Film: Moondram Ulaga Por
Director: Sugan Karthi
Cast: Sunil Kumar, Akhila Kishore, Wilson NG, Avinash, Jennifer