UGLY - Movie Review

So the end of 2014 saw two of the most anticipated films being released; PK and Ugly, both being the products of the masters of film making with diametrically different narrative patterns and storytelling techniques. While one of them is on its way to enter the 300 Crore club, the other is silently asking for an audience.

Let this be said that Ugly is one of the finest psychological thrillers I've seen since the 1980's film Dhund (a barely noticed film starring Danny Danzongpa). There is hardly anything that goes over board or remains undercooked, the pace being maintained throughout the 128 minutes.

(When will PVR Cinemas start and end its shows in time!?!

A humble request folks, never visit PVR to see a Ashutosh Gowarikar film; you might require a 2N/3D stay in the Auditorium.)

Ugly is what Anurag Kashyap has always put on display ever since he screen wrote for Satya, his love for dysfunctional characters.

So be it Wasseypur or Dev D or Gulaal, it has been much about characters than it has been about the situations that Kashyap puts his characters into.

The realism that we see visibly apparent in Kashyap's films is not because of realistic situations but due to his character's reactions to dramatic situations which always brings out certain kind of novelty in his work.

He drives his films thorough his dysfunctional characters reactions to simple situations and Ugly is simply a treat to watch for some amazing characterizations.

Within 5 minutes into the film comes a scene which for me is the best scene of 2014, trademark Anurag Kashyap, filled with confusion, like the plan+plot-to-kill-Sultan scene in Gangs of Wasseypur. The scene is painfully hilarious and so are various other scenes which bring out troubled and bothered kind of laughs’ which goes on the show the power of the screenplay, never for once letting the style to blow the substance out of proportion. 

Another facet of Kashyap cinema is his willingness to portray awkward situations and not caring to explain out the consequences.

It is only in his films will you see a mother mix sleep pills in a glass of milk and feed it to her daughter so that she can satisfy her desires with her husband's friend.

Awkward? Yes. Indulging? Indeed.

In one of the more remarkable scenes in the film, a guy stacks a pile of currency notes in his undies and dances hysterically. Abnormal? Yes. Indulging? Indeed.

Also you cannot attribute to anything except the dysfunctional psyche of the characters for such a behavior.

The first 45 minutes of the film brim with confusion and set up the base for events to then unfold and fit in the mould. The only low point being the ending few minutes which probably fail to convey the exact emotions which the 2nd half desired to be concluded but rest assured, Ugly is a taut thriller.

The performances are first rate as you'd expect. You just cannot look out for the best performance amongst such inspired acts but Ronit Roy somehow just manages to over shine everyone else. He has a complex character which he doesn't bother to simplify which turns out to be a boon!

He's haunting with his approach, self indulgent at times and fighting inner motives at other moments. 

He's highly sure when he deals with outsiders and insecure in humongous proportions when he's to deal with himself.

The highpoint in the entire film isn't the performances or the narrative pattern but the scope for obscurity that the screen play allows with respect to the main plot.

So much obscure the plot becomes that a missing case is soon over shadowed by personal rivalries and numerous cross connections which kind of dilute out the substance of the main plot not only for the viewers but also for the characters and such confusion has been helmed in patented Anurag Kashyap style, stark realizations underlined with dark humour. 

Ugly is technically a very superior film. The editor has done his bit judiciously and the shot takings are innovative. The cinematography captures the confusion in the atmosphere in which Ugly breaths and the background score moulds into the mood of the scene. Picture perfect!

Anurag Kashyap's Ugly might fit into multiple genres; thriller, psychological drama, noir et al. The rare damp moment towards the end does not take away much from the chilling impact that lasts for about the entire length of the film.

Do watch this film, it holds a bare it all approach, doesn't generalize situations, digs into uncomfortable alleys and fits in chills and thrills in equal proportions. 

Ugly is amongst the best films made in 2014 and probably also the least recognized 

(Nah, Aakho Dekhi didn't even garner as much hype as Ugly, sad!)

**4.5STARS**