‘Ulajh’: An Engaging Watch Despite Some Flaws
By Sreeparna Sengupta
Story: When an IFS officer lands a plum posting as the youngest Deputy High Commissioner of India in the UK, it raises a few eyebrows but she is determined to prove that she’s the best choice for the job. However, she soon finds herself entangled in a web of conspiracies and realises she is just a pawn in a much larger game.
Review: Suhana (Janhvi Kapoor) is thrilled when she’s offered her new office because she believes this will finally impress her father, Vanraj Bhatia, (Adil Hussain). While he has his reservations on why she’s the chosen one, Suhana’s convinced it’s owing to her professional prowess and strategic acumen and not just because she comes from an illustrious family of high-ranking diplomats. As his daughter takes off to assume her new position, Vanraj is also appointed as the permanent representative of India to the UN.
In her London office, Suhana is greeted by her team, Jacob Tamang (Meiyang Chang) and Sebin Kutty (Roshan Mathew) who view her appointment as a result of nepotism. On the other hand, her driver, Salim (Rajesh Tailang), seems firmly on her side, offering advice and help whenever required. At a party hosted at the Indian High Commission, Suhana bumps into Nakul (Gulshan Devaiah), a Michelin star-chef, who switches between languages and accents with as much ease as he sweeps her off her feet. And a whirlwind romance ensues. But soon Suhana’s dream life begins to crumble like a house of cards as Nakul resorts to blackmailing her with a surreptitiously recorded video in exchange of Indian intelligence and trade secrets. And while Suhana gives in, wanting to save face and not disrupt her father’s new appointment, she finds herself sinking deeper and deeper into a mess she can’t seem to wriggle out of. As the storyline juggles between London, India and Pakistan, there is another facet to this whole game brewing.
Though most ‘Ulajh’ rests on Suhana’s shoulders, the film is sprinkled with a multitude of characters, who zip in and out as the story traverses through its many twists, betrayals and unlikely friendships. The screenplay (Parveez Shaikh, Sudhanshu Saria) engages enough to keep one invested till the end with some legit shocks and thrills. However, the weakest link in the story is Suhana’s lack of judgement and discretion when it comes to falling for Nakul and dealing with the situation before it gets too murky. Pace slackens at times and there are a few loose ends. As a spy-thriller ‘Ulajh’ is gripping in parts and a tad flat in others.
That said, Jahnvi Kapoor pulls off a convincing performance as she blends in seamlessly with the many shades to her character. Arguably, among her best work so far. Gulshan Devaiah as the main antagonist channels an impressive evil avatar. Roshan Mathew’s character progression is deftly handled and the actor pulls it off with charm. Rajesh Tailang, Meiyang Chang and Adil Hussain lend support with their assured performances. The cinematography (Shreya Dube) and soundtrack (Shashwat Sachdev) add to the mood of the film.
Despite some flaws, ‘Ulajh’ makes for an engaging watch and the film leaves scope for a sequel and a cute new pairing. — TNS