Ori Devuda Movie review: Passable entertainer, but missing in parts

The latest film of young generation actor Vishwak Sen, “Ori Devuda”, directed by Ashwath Marimuthu, has been released in theatres. The film has been carrying decent expectations around it, and a considerable amount of promotion has also been done for the film. Let’s see how the film fares at box-office.

Story

Arjun Durgaraj (Vishwak Sen) and Anu (Mithila Palkar) are best friends, and later they get married. A year later, Arjun realises it was a mistake and applies for divorce. At the court, God makes an appearance and becomes an audience to listen to his grievance. What happens when Arjun is given a second chance to rectify his life by God? What did he realise? How Arjun’s story end comprises is the basic plot of the movie.

Analysis

Ashwath Marimuthu directs “Ori Devuda” which is a remake of his debut film, “Oh My Kadavule”, made in Tamil. The film is a simple rom-com where the hero realises his true love. So, we know at the start where it’s headed and how it will hand. The simple romantic comedy is given a fresh twist via the fantasy angle.

A God appears and gives the protagonist a second chance to rectify his mistakes. This fantasy element is what holds the attention of the viewer and elevates “Ori Devuda” from other films in the genre.

The first half is devoted to entertainment, mainly. The fun here is generated via the characters that inhabit the world of Arjun, primarily. Some scenes work here and there, but as a whole, things don’t come together to create an impact. The premise before the interval definitely leaves one curious for the second half.

After the fun, it is time for drama in the second half. The Murali Sharma character expressing his sentiments for why he does the business is one such scene. It hits the right chord and works. But, such sequences are only a few. Lack of emotional connection is the biggest drawback for “Ori Devuda”. There was ample opportunity to have entertainment and drama in equal doses, but it was not utilized.

Overall, “Ori Devuda” has an exciting and relatable premise, but it fails to deliver the right dose of fun and drama to have an impact. It ends as a passable watch, with a few moments working intermittently.

Performances

Vishwak Sen is in his element. It is not the usual hyper one, but what we saw previously in “Ashoka Vanamlo Arjuna Kalyanam”. He does the fun and drama with equal ease and makes the character appealing. While there is nothing to complain about acting-wise, we have to mention that he needs to be careful regarding his physic. He looks heavy and bulky. In some parts where he runs or in places where appearance also matters, Vishwak Sen is far from flattering.

Mithila Palkar gets a role that is tailor-made for her. She fits the bill perfectly, playing bubbly and chirpy Anu. However, Mithila doesn’t manage to rise above the conventional characterisation. A kind of magic necessary for the part to be elevated, thereby elevating the proceedings, is missing. Asha Bhat looks good in certain parts but misses the mark in general.

Venkatesh is the biggest name attached to the project. He plays a cameo role of God. It is designed to reflect his charm and typical comic timing seen in his commercial fares. The star scores in screen presence departments as he towers over the rest, but he has hardly any meat in the role.

Murali Sharma impresses with his act. His character appears a little irritating initially, but there is a great emotional payoff where the actor shines. Rahul Ramakrishna is not used in a proper way. The rest of the actors are adequate for their parts, even though nothing particularly stands out.

Technicalities

While the basic idea of the director is intriguing and exciting, he fails to develop an emotionally immersive narrative. The writing is the key here to have that feel, and sadly is feel lacking.

Leon James provides music to the film. It suits the mood, and a song is also good. And yet, a universal blockbuster appeal is missing that is essential for flicks like these. The background score is decent. Vidhu Ayyana’s cinematography lends a proper urban look to the film. Vijay Mukthavaraku’s editing could have been better. The pacing slackens at times, adding to the boredom. Tharun Bhascker provides the dialogues. They are all right and serve the purpose, but they miss the magic usually seen in his works.

Advantages

Basic Premise

Some Emotional Sequences

Interval Block

Disadvantages

Passable writing

Ordinary Entertainment

Predictability