What Is the Story About?
Subramani, a small-time hotel owner, and his wife Subbu are parents to four children – three daughters and a son. The parents are desperate to get their eldest daughter Chinmayi married. A lawyer by profession, Chinmayi is yet to get over her ex Shiva, a college sweetheart who’s now a director at a television channel. Their past haunts them after an accidental meeting at a court and a reunion.
Performances?
The veterans – Ponvannan and Vanitha Krishnachandran – easily slip into their familiar roles as middle-class parents and come up with warm, relatable performances. Popular small-screen personality Ayesha Zeenath has a charming screen presence and impresses as the elder sister who’s hung up about her past.
Raj Ayyappa is entertaining as the over-ambitious television actor keen to make a mark in films. Well-known television actor Krishna, cast as Chinmayi’s romantic interest, plays an intriguing role too. Ashwini Aanandita and Deepika Venkatachalam too shine while they last.
Analysis
Uppu Puli Kaaram, Disney+ Hotstar’s latest Tamil web serial, an adaptation of the Korean show My Father is Strange, is apt for the digital medium, free from melodrama, sustaining its light-hearted vibe across episodes. The director Ramesh Baarathi gets his middle-class ambience right, showcasing the highs and lows in the life of a hotel owner, his wife and four kids. All the characters have their own quirks, setting the tone for an entertaining sitcom.
The show opts for a middle-ground approach – it may not be as archaic as a television soap but is also not as today and relevant as a conventional web series either. Despite the exaggeration in the situations, the performances remain realistic. At the same time, there’s nothing out of the box in terms of the storytelling. All in all, it’s a traditional, familiar middle-class story that is pacy and has zip.
The verbal exchanges between the lead couple Subramani and Subbu result in humour. Subramani is the liberal, well-meaning father who comes up with culinary references for everything under the sun. Subbu is an authoritarian who takes charge of the house and ensures everything is in order. Their children are settling down in life, coming of age, taking up household responsibilities.
Beyond the family, several subplots are set up across the four episodes, introducing other characters. Shiva is the teleserial director who’s struggling to find his feet at work, while there’s a thread about a mediocre actor who becomes the butt of ridicule on social media and wants to make it big in films. The show takes a juicy turn when Shiva’s mom becomes the new owner of Subramani’s plot.
There’s another colourful character too – Saroja Devi, Subbu’s chatter-box mom who thinks highly about her beauty in her younger days. There are no typical antagonists, as you would expect out of a sitcom. Everyone is caught up in their mess and the situations and characters are lively enough for the show to be a comfy watch for family audiences of all ages.
Music and Other Departments?
Sheik’s catchy, energetic title track (used during the credits) indicates the show’s entertainment quotient. Karna does a fine job in localising Jeongsun Lee’s screenplay for Tamil audiences, with Parthiba Krishna’s vibrant cinematography adding zing to the proceedings. PM Achuthan’s sharp edits ensure slick, fast-paced episodes that drive the plot forward.
Highlights?
Relatable ambience
Measured, realistic performances
Pacy screenplay
Drawbacks?
Doesn’t offer anything new in terms of story
Unimaginative situations
Did I Enjoy It?
In parts
Will You Recommend It?
Only for those who would want to kill time with a light-hearted show
Uppu Puli Kaaram Series Review by Binged Bureau