Uttar Da Puttar – Movie Review: A Delightful Mix of Comedy, Drama & Twists in the Right Direction

The 70s era witnessed the rise of middle-of-the-road cinema, spearheaded by directors like Hrishikesh Mukherjee and Basu Chatterjee. These films featured slice-of-life stories about common people, made on limited budgets with talented actors and a proper dose of entertainment. Over time, such films gained wider acceptance, and with the rise of the multiplex era, they came to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with mainstream big-budget entertainers. We saw ace actors, from Naseeruddin Shah, Om Puri, Amol Palekar, and Farooq Sheikh to Abhay Deol, Ayushmann Khurrana, Rajkummar Rao, Pankaj Tripathi, Sanjay Mishra, and many others, showcase their acting prowess while delivering some memorable and entertaining films.

Annu Kapoor is one such actor who returns with Uttar Da Puttar, a wholesome family entertainer that amuses while subtly making the audience reflect on the age-old debate between destiny and hard work. Blending comedy, drama, and emotions, the film revolves around a physics professor who firmly believes that every success and failure in life is governed not by science, but by Vastu Shastra and rituals.

The story is simple, relatable, and entertaining. It has shades of films like Khosla Ka Ghosla and a few others, where the common man outsmarts fraudsters. The main plot takes a little time to establish itself, but once it does, it keeps you engaged. There are several enjoyable moments, from Annu Kapoor’s attempts to build his house to the sequence where he teaches Pawan Malhotra a lesson.

Annu Kapoor shines in his role and does complete justice to his character. Rukhsar Rehman is sweet and supportive in her part. Pawan Malhotra and Brijendra Kala are very good in their respective roles, while Rajendra Sethi lends able support.

On the flip side, the side tracks dilute the film’s flow, and movies of this genre require a tighter screenplay along with a stronger finale. However, overall, Uttar Da Puttar is a light, breezy, feel-good film with a decent dose of drama, humour, and twists.

RJ Divya Solgama (3.5/5)