UDANPAAL HD Released

 It's not often you get to watch a quirky, innovative family drama. And, especially when the film manages to double as a dark comedy, you can't help but buy it. Udan Paal, directed by debutant Karthik Sreenivasan, is a product of effective writing that tells you how to engage the audience with a small number of characters and their morbid actions. The film revolves around a financially unstable brother and sister, who decide to use their father's demise as an opportunity to settle down in life.

Parama (Linga), the eldest brother in the family, invites her sister Kanmani (Gayathrie Shankar) and brother-in-law Murali ( Vivek Prasanna) home, citing their mother's death anniversary as a reason. But it's only after a few minutes that we realise their reunion was staged to force their ageing father Vinayagam (Charle) to sell the house they live in for money.Though Vinayagam is reluctant about this, his offspring learn that the property has issues and that it will be tough for them to generate money by selling it.

However, destiny has other plans for them. One of the complexes, which Vinayagam visits on a daily basis, collapsed all of a sudden. The government announces Rs. 20 lakh as compensation to the family of the deceased.

Instead of worrying about their father's plight, Lingaa and his sister Mani pick up an argument about dividing the compensation on a fair basis. Trouble begins when their father, whom they think is no more, comes back home hale and healthy.

Any further information would jeopardise the viewers' experience, as there are several surprises in store.

Though Karthik Seenivasan takes his time to set up the premise, the situations that each character is put in and the tonal shifts that we get to witness are quite interesting. The best part is that there are five major characters in the film, and all of them are flawed. Even before Parama tries to convey one of his morbid ideas to his sister, she comes up with another one for selfish needs.

In a way, it's unique and breaks the usual formula that accompanies a genre like this. The writer does give us some hints then and there on how the events may unfold. However, it's still interesting and gets many things right. The only issue with the film is that the narrative could have been a bit sharper and tighter, considering the number of characters involved. We need some kind of patience to get into their chaotic world.

Also, when it comes to the performances of the cast, we feel like they have set limits for themselves on how each of them should react to a situation without any kind of exaggeration. Linga, Vivek Prasanna, and Gayathrie Shankar have performed extremely well and done justice to their roles. It's definitely not easy to make people laugh during grim situations, but they have done their best. Abarnathi plays Lingaa's wife in the film, and her character is something to watch out for. This is her sophomore film, and she has shown a lot of maturity.

KPY Dheena is introduced to us only in the second half, and it's quite funny to see him join their game as well. While Shakthi Balaji's music helps to set the atmosphere, DOP Madhan Christopher delivers what's needed. If it had been released in theaters, Udanpaal would have undoubtedly drawn a crowd.