‘Unda’: Movie Review

I went to watch “Unda” on the recommendation of a friend, who called it a “movie on team building”. And while that in itself does not summarize the movie, it is true – “Unda” works primarily because the plot moves ahead through character interactions, and you root for the protagonists because the screenplay earns it through meticulous character development.

“Unda”, which is inspired by real life incidents, tells the story of a police unit from Kerala who are sent on election duty to a Maoist affected area in Chhattisgarh. Ill-equipped both in terms of capability as well as arms & ammunition, the men must set aside their differences, overcome their prejudices, doubts and fears and work together to not just ensure a peaceful election, but also make it out alive.

As you can expect, the plot delves into the lives of these men, and through clever use of dialogues, establishes each character as a separate individual, which further lets you empathise with them. The casting of Mammootty against type in the lead role is genius – while the superstar has played the average Joe on many occasions, S. I. Manikandan C. P. is unique in how his vulnerabilities and his empathy towards others shape him and the decisions he makes. The other cast members are all very good as well, each adding a layer of relatability to their characters.

Director Khalid Rahman does a decent job of building tension in anticipation of the unseen enemy, but the movie never really leans into it – even if the movie is a dark comedy/satire, it could have handled these bits more effectively to get the audience more invested. The background score in parts was jarring, and took me out of the proceedings. That being said, the movie shines where it uses dark humour and great dialogue to put a spotlight on the apathy of the system and the sheer ineptitude and unpreparedness of the people thrown into this situation, as well as the people who have thrown them there. Full marks to the makers for subverting expectations on multiple occasions also.

Despite its flaws, “Unda” does a pretty good job and tackles an interesting subject well.