Uppu Kappurambu movie review: Keerthy Suresh, Suhas shine in odd satirical comedy about death

Uppu Kappurambu movie review: Ani IV Sasi's Amazon Prime Video film starring Keerthy Suresh and Suhas is a hilarious satire.

Uppu Kappurambu movie review

Cast: Keerthy Suresh, Suhas, Babu Mohan, Shatru, Rameshwari, Subhalekha Sudhakar, Duvvasi Mohan, Vishnu Oi

Director: Ani IV Sasi

Rating: ★★★

The Telugu poem Uppu Kappurambu (salt and camphor) by Yogi Vemana is something most people in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana have grown up hearing. Grandmothers often invoke it to teach little ones that there might be more to people than what’s on the surface – take that how you will. If one character in this tale, in hubris, believes it means they're better than others, another points out that the differences only mean everyone is equally important. And that’s the overarching theme of Ani IV Sasi’s Keerthy Suresh and Suhas-starrer.

Uppu Kappurambu movie review: Keerthy Suresh shoulders the responsibility of becoming a village head in this satire.

Uppu Kappurambu plot

Apoorva (Keerthy) just wants to catch a good night’s sleep. But her father, the village head Subbaraju (Subhalekha Sudhakar), has just died, and as is tradition in Chitti Jayapuram, she must take over his job. Bheemayya (Babu Mohan) and Madhubabu (Shatru) bristle at the very thought of this naive, goofy, young girl solving anyone’s problems. Chinna (Suhas), the graveyard caretaker, has enough issues of his own, given that his mother Kondamma (Rameshwari) is dying. On top of that, he realises the graveyard is running out of space to bury the dead. In the odd tale that follows, Apoorva must find more space to bury their dead before it’s too late, and Chinna must find a way to make his mother’s final wish come true.

What works and doesn't

Picture this: Apoorva, who has been unwillingly forced to become village head, is shaking like a leaf before she holds her first racchabanda (public meeting). Next thing you know, she remembers her father has trained her well and, like a true-blue politician, blames the war in Iran for tomato prices. All while making dramatic gestures to whip up a frenzy. At a lottery to win space in the graveyard (you read that right!), the master of ceremonies (Vishnu Oi), dressed in bell-bottom pants, is ridiculously loud and excited about something to do with…death. A character even hilariously carries along a gravestone hidden in a sack to some very important meetings…you get the drift.

And this is exactly the kind of film Uppu Kappurambu is. Rana Daggubati’s hilarious voiceover eases you into the ridiculousness that’s to come. The humour is anything but subtle, with characters using their whole bodies to convey emotions as if they’re mimes. What is subtle about the film, though, is its sharp satire and commentary on caste disparities. Chitti Jayapuram might pretend to treat their dead equally and with dignity, but when push comes to shove, everyone’s claws come out. This is made very clear in the way a character believes, beyond doubt, that they deserve space in the graveyard out of pride. While another believes the same out of hope for equality and fairness. Screenwriter Vasanth Maringanti deserves kudos for that, as does Ani.

While Uppu Kappurambu’s overarching theme feels neat and finished, the film takes its time to get into the thick of things. The 2-hour-14-minute runtime also seems to drag when the film delves into multiple subplots. Some of the scenes in the film, while funny, feel like detours from the main plot instead of blending in seamlessly. Other scenes involving the village drunk (Duvvasi Mohan) in particular only seem to add to the runtime. At one point, you even begin to lose interest in the proceedings. However, the film finds its footing again towards the fag end, ending it all on a poignant note.

One thing that truly makes the film what it is, apart from the writing, is the performances. Keerthy is a delight as a woman forced into a position of power she didn’t seek, with only three old men to provide her counsel, no less. The issue she faces feels insurmountable in one scene where she suggests cremating the dead, and a character has fits in reaction to doing something so blasphemous. She is annoying, but you grow fond of her. Babu Mohan gets a juicy role after a long time, and Shatru is hilarious, as is the rest of the cast.

Uppu Kappurambu movie review: Suhas and Keerthy Suresh play Chinna and Apoorva in the film.

But Uppu Kappurambu, without a doubt, belongs to Suhas. It is his performance, Chinna’s predicament, his love for his mother, and his desperation that make you want better for this fictional village. As silly as it sounds, you can’t help but feel warm towards the man as he speaks to the dead like they’re his long-lost friends. He understands the true meaning of dignity in death, after all. And the disparity between his life and Apoorva’s, despite being schoolmates once, aches your heart.

To sum it up

Uppu Kappurambu might have its flaws, but if eccentric characters and full-body comedy are your jam, it’s worth a watch. The oddity of the subject is just the cherry on top. The film is streaming on Amazon Prime Video from 4 July.