A focused thriller on the travails of terrorism in our daily life is not a regular thing in Tamil cinema. But Kamal Haasan, the man of experiments, has gathered the guts to remake Hindi hit ‘A Wednesday’ that speaks on the effects of extremism on men in streets.
The film's remarkable appeal, which made the fantasy element seem so much plausible and relevant, lay in the recurring reality. The impossible moral frenzy that the hero pulls himself into can belong not only to those areas that are both tattered and numbed by one mindless explosion after the other, but to the other parts of the India too. This is the message that Kamal wants to convey.
What could happen when a common man is pushed beyond his realms of patience and what are its consequences? Unnaipol Oruvan throws light on these issues and the triumph of humanity and its effect on national integration. Indirectly, the film says terrorism can only be held in check by terrorism.
If Naseer brought to fore the throbbing anger of the meek man so credibly, Kamal conjures up the intellectual lava of an individual who equally seethes against the wishy-washiness of a society that had gone easily numb.
Bharathiyar's 'Rowthiram Pazhaghu' may be the dynamite that works the dynamic in Kamal while 'Sathu Mirandal Kaadu Kollathu' may be the muse for Naseer. Mohanlal, on the other hand, comes across as both refined and restrained, a quality that was missing in Kher's portrayal. But both stands out for overall dignity and a decency that are now missing in our lives.
All the characters have been understood and essayed perfectly by the artistes. Anuja Iyer, as the TV reporter, has risen up to the occasion and so does Ganesh Venkatram. Camera by Manoj Soni and music by Shruti Haasan are in sync with the mood of the film and enhance the thrill when required. Although UPO has its flaws, they are negligible when compared to the film in totality.
All in all, a brilliant work which will be appreciated by every socially responsible citizen of India.
