Uncle Review

In a country where aunties and uncles abound - every person five years older than you is either an aunt or an uncle - a straightforward tribute to them was long overdue. So one is justified in thinking that Uncle is just that. True enough, but that doesn't compensate for the patchy effort that it is. Uncle is another of those films that start off as a campus story and end up as sentimental dramas. The two halves of the film are so diametrically different that however much the director tries to fuse them into one whole, the quick-fix method shows through.

It is the story of a peon, AVS, in a local college and his friendship with a gang of four noisy students. A godfather to these guys, AVS (who is fondly called uncle by the boys) guides them through the thick and thin of life. He is never too big to play pranks on others to make them happy. Interestingly, he succeeds each time. Apart from playing pranks, he guides them in their love affairs, too.

One of his boys, Tarun, falls in love with Pallavi at first sight. Unfortunately, his first ragging encounter with her ends in a rude shock to her, and so do the next couple of encounters. She gets disgusted with him and her disgust turns into hatred.

But there is 'Uncle' to give ideas, and so, proceeding with his advice, Tarun manages to woo her and they become lovers. Till here the film goes smoothly and everyone is happy that all has gone well for the young lovers.

But the plot takes a vicious turn here. First comes the truth that uncle is not a poor man but a rich businessman who has started many schools and colleges. Secondly, he is a murderer who has spent 14 years in jail. And we are treated to some verbal aggression of AVS' wife, Jhansi, in the second half, where the film shoots off at a tangent. Even the best of efforts by the director to bring the film back on track do not work. The guys realize that uncle is paying for sins he has not committed, and take the onus on themselves to ensure that he comes out clean.

Tarun acts well in the film and he has got the potential to emerge as a good actor. For a newcomer, Pallavi, too, does her job well. She looks and acts like Ramya Krishna. And, up to a point, the film is bearable. But it ceases to be so with the never-ending sentimental scenes after that. There is nothing to brag about in it, neither the songs nor the direction. It is another of those run-of-the-mill kind of films with the masala mix. The mix may be interesting only to people who get a kick out of sentimental dramas.