Usthad
Having trouble deciding what blockbuster film to watch this summer? Watch ‘Usthad’, the Malayalam smash hit of 1999 starring Mohanlal as the underworld business negotiator struggling to balance his private life and dance troupe.
Usthad kicks ass in this opening scene with all the consistency of a Direct Line advert; you know it’s coming and you know it’s going to hurt to watch each and every time. The scene then breaks down into every office supplies manager nightmare with a harrowing portrayal of what happens when you don’t take stock take seriously. If that doesn’t make you want to watch this scene, perhaps some saucy swimming-pool action might. But I’ve said too much.
‘Usthad’ isn’t quite as action packed as what its Youtube description might have you believe. Because Western cinema has conditioned me to want action thick and fast, this shall count against the film as if I’d wanted to watch 2 hours of incomprehensible dialogue I would’ve just streamed Rocky instead. But, positively, we do get some chirpy musical numbers, exemplified by this touching scene. But I’ve said too much.
I don’t want to ruin the ending sequence of ‘Usthad’ so you can watch the entirety of the 130 minute film, so I won’t reveal too much. But if you would care to watch the barnstorming ending that’ll only take 14 minutes out of your day, it’s posted below for your own viewing. And I do recommend that you do. So in any event, all I’ll say is, yes, they are trying to fob off a children’s calculator as a bomb detonator. And yes, he did lick his fist. And yes, they ran like that. And yes, it ended like that. And yes, I enjoyed all the jumping too. And yes, he did do that. And yes, he did do that. But I’ve said too much.
USTHAD!
