What’s it about?
Surya (Sri Simha Koduri), a rookie pilot, spends his first day on the job alongside his senior pilot (Gowtham Menon). While it is Simha’s first day on the job, it is his senior’s last. When Surya makes an error, the senior pilot chastises him for being impulsive.
Then Surya tells his story of how his impulsiveness got him thus far.
Surya is raised by his single mother (Anu Haasan) after the death of his father in a small town near Hyderabad. He buys an old bike and christens it Ustaad. The bike causes numerous changes in his life, including the arrival of Meghana (Kavya Kalyan Ram). However, his short temper and uncompromising attitude cause problems in his love life.
The rest of the story is about how he overcame all obstacles and became a pilot.
Analysis
On paper, the idea of a bike changing a man’s life and propelling him to become a pilot is interesting. “Ustaad” has this line. When the protagonist’s bike breaks down, something nice happens to him, such as the opportunity to meet his girlfriend for the first time, witnessing a runway outside of a hillock and being inspired to become a pilot, and so on. On the other hand, he is stubborn and impulsive. The director juggles these aspects to tell the “Ustaad” plot.
However, the director Phanideep (likely a first-timer) has struggled to narrate it in an engaging manner. The entire first half has us fidgeting in our seats.
I’ve noticed that most current young directors (mainly newcomers/upcoming directors) lack the capacity to evaluate whether content is appropriate for a feature film or short film. Furthermore, the majority of them are creating stories based on their personal experiences (which is a good thing. Actually, the screenwriting gurus always encourage writers to write about the world they know), but they lack the abilities to adapt those highly personal experiences into a captivating narrative. Many scenes in “Ustaad” made me feel the same way. Some of the occurrences in the film may have had a deep resonance for the director, but they make for an uninteresting viewing experience for us.
For example, the romantic scenes between Sri Simha and Kavya Kalyan Ram are interesting at first, but the later portions, as well as Kavya’s and Sri Simha’s unexpected actions, do not make sense to us. Another thread of a mechanic has the same problem. The mechanic’s behavior becomes increasingly unrealistic and stagey.
Among the nicest scenes for me were hero’s mother (a single parent) and hero speaking on the roof of their house. It’s a beautiful moment when the son realizes her mother’s resilience.
Sri Simha Koduri passes the muster as an impetuous youngster. Anu Haasan also does a good job as a mother. Kavya Kalyanram, best known for her role in Balagam, has a commanding screen presence. Ravi Siva Teja brings some laughs.
The technical departments performed just okay.
Bottom line: “Ustaad” is a coming-of-age story with a few pleasant moments but a monotonous viewing experience on the whole. The amateurishness with which the narration is handled can be seen throughout.
Rating: 2.25/5
By Jalapathy Gudelli
Film: Ustaad
Cast: Sri Simha Koduri, Kavya Kalyanram, Ravi Siva Teja, Gautham Vasudev Menon, Anu Hasan, Ravindra Vijay, Venkatesh Maha, and others
Music: Akeeva B
Cinematography: Pavan Kumar Pappula
Editor: Carthic Cuts
Producers: Rajani Korrapati, Rakesh Reddy Gaddam, Himank Reddy Duvvuru
Writer and directed by: Phanideep
Release Date: Aug 12, 2023
