‘Ulajh’movie review: Janhvi Kapoor strains in a sigh thriller

The title Ulajh is apt for the film because I got completely enmeshed or Ulajh-ed watching this political spy thriller with my mind entangled in a story so convoluted. The film opens with the ambitious young diplomat Suhana Bhatia (Janhvi Kapoor). She is a bright girl who comes from an influential family of diplomats and is adept in many languages like Nepali, Urdu, French, and Japanese. She’s appointed as India’s youngest Deputy High Commissioner but the sword of nepotism looms large over her head. Too familiar, right? Taking forward her family’s legacy, and being ridiculed for her privilege is the story both the actor and her character share. In one of her interviews, she had mentioned that despite her background and legacy, she still sometimes lacks the confidence of putting across her point of view as she doesn’t want to hurt anyone’s ego. That’s precisely what her character constantly also grows through.

The action begins when Kapoor’s character, driven by loyalty and legacy posted overseas, gets entangled in an international conspiracy. In London, Suhana negotiates trade deals and also has a fling with a guy named Nakul [played by Gulshan Devaiah who has overshadowed everyone in the film], introduced to her as a Michelin-starred chef. Before we know it, Nakul is blackmailing her with their sex tape, demanding confidential information. She finds herself caught in a web of lies and deceit where those close to her might be perpetrators to a larger conspiracy targeting India. How she gets out of the dastardly situation and foils the plan of the villains, fights for her and her country’s honour, emerging from the shadows of being a gaddar (traitor) to a national hero forms the crux of the film. The plot seems too absurd for a film based on intelligence officers. And how can a sharp diplomat not see the honey trap being set for her?

The film, however, is fast paced and that keeps you engaged at some places. About five minutes just before the interval is exciting. The film is also pretty slick and sharp in terms of its production design. The camera work and action scenes are impressive. But you wish the story was more solid and detailed, the plot and the story are very disappointing. Except for a twist in the second half there is hardly any thrilling moment which was expected from the thriller. Also, there are far too many implausibilities, looks like the makers suddenly ran out of ideas. There are quite a few places where the viewers won’t be convinced of what is shown to them. The film makes the viewers dive into the world of diplomacy, nepotism, and gender bias but it struggles with a convoluted plot and clichés. Sadly, cinema-goers found theatres empty on the day of the release today with many feeling that the film was best for an OTT release.

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What you feel bad while watching the film especially is the presence of some solid performers, not one or two but a bunch of them like Roshan Mathew, Gulshan Devaiah, Adil Hussain and Alyy Khan who have got such small screen time and half-baked roles. Why? To accommodate the new gen actor Janhvi Kapoor who is average and mediocre in most parts of the film. No doubt, Janhvi has been making brave choices and has been getting film after film as a solo performer with such diverse themes (we all know how) but all those films have been damp squibs at the box office except for her debut Dhadak [also an average hit]. She’s sincere and tries her best but talent is limited. Ulajh fails to provide entertainment and deliver what the makers promised.

Ulajh movie cast: Janhvi Kapoor, Roshan Mathew, Gulshan Devaiah, Adil Hussain, Rajesh Tailang, Meiyang Chang, Rajendra Gupta, Alyy Khan, Jitendra Joshi, Rushad Rana
Ulajh movie director: Sudhanshu Saria