Udayapuram Sultan - Malayalam Videw Review

Starring: Dilip, Harisree Ashokan, Sudheesh, Innocent, Jagathi, Captain Raju, Narendra Prasad, Pritha, Ambika
Directed by: Jose Thomas

This is a comedy of errors in the tradition of Chandralekha, but here instead of the central dilemma of identity, the future of a former royal household is up for grabs.

Narendra Prasad is the former Ruler and a loving grandfather. His daughter Malavika Thampuratti (Ambika) had at one time walked out of the palace after falling in love with Abdul Rahman (Captain Raju), who is crippled in the ensuing clash with her brothers. The princess lays claim to part of the royal property including Udyayapuram Palace. The old Ruler genuinely repents for his cruelty towards his daughter's husband, but Abdul Rahman does not relent.

Nurtured in music

The couple's son Sulaiman (Dilip) does not harbour any such animosity and is curious to get to know his grandfather. Sulaiman has also been nurtured in Carnatic classical music by his mother. His main rival in college is Unnikrishnan, the son of a famous Brahmin priest. Unnikrishnan wins the musical contest at college which entitles him to sing at the famous Chembai Sangeethotsavam, but it is Sulaiman, in a twist of identities, that finally makes it to the musical fete. There he is a big hit with the audience.

The confusion in identity does not end there. Sulaiman is persuaded to go to his grandfather's palace to attend an important religious ceremony to remove the impediments to the marriage of the ruler's grand daughter Gopika. In spite of the initial rivalry between the two youngsters, Gopika falls for the charm of Sulaiman, alias Unnikrishnan. The ruler also likes the young man.

Parasu Namboodiri (Jagathy), the chief priest of the palace, has suspicions about the identity of the new entrant to the palace and follows him around to expose his real identity. But by then it is too late, as the royal household had already decided to give away Gopika to the youngster.

Gopalan Nambiar (Innocent), the keeper of the royal household, who actually recruits Sulaiman for the pooja, thinking he is Unnikrishnan, is in a real dilemma.

Complicating matters

Complicating matters is the entry of the real Unnikrishnan (Sudeesh), who would also like to marry Gopika.
Finally, history repeats itself, but without real harm being done, when Malavika Thampuratti and Abdul Rahman come to claim their son. The ball is now in the court of the grandfather, whether Udyapuram Palace needs a Sultan or not.

Director Jose Thomas does not succeed in maintaining the pace of the comedy throughout. The cast overall does a superb job with veterans Narendra Prasad and Capt. Raju towering over the rest. The comic scenes are adequately taken care of by Innocent, Jagathy, Harisree Ashokan and Cochin Haneefa, not to mention Dilip in the lead role of Sulaiman.

For music affionados, the film is bound to be a treat with classical numbers by Yesudas peppered throughout.
Courtesy: Thomsun Video