Making a silent film today takes guts. Director G. Ashok and actor Sohum Shah bravely stepped into this rarely seen genre with “Ufff Yeh Siyapaa.” They aimed for a silent dark comedy, full of suspense and thrills. But like a joke that falls flat, this movie often misses its mark. While it tries to make you laugh, it mostly leaves you feeling a bit bored.
The Confused Story
The film kicks off with a simple package. This package quickly causes a huge mix-up, setting the stage for all the chaos. At the center of this mess is Kesari Lal Singh, played by Sohum Shah. He works for the electricity department and is known for being incredibly stingy. Kesari’s wife, Pushpa, played by Nushrratt Bharuccha, gets fed up with him and leaves for her parents’ house. Kesari tries to win her back, but before he can do much, he lands himself in some serious trouble.
Enter Kamini, Kesari’s glamorous neighbor, played by Nora Fatehi. Soon, the story becomes a series of funny mistakes, all without a single word spoken. The background music, created by A.R. Rahman, helps move the plot along. New characters pop up, like Inspector Hansmukh, played by Omkar Kapoor, and a character named Goongra, played by Sharib Hashmi. The confusion just keeps piling up. The filmmakers try to blend suspense, thrills, and even a murder into this wordless comedy.
The Cast and Their Charades
Five main actors get plenty of screen time in this film. Sohum Shah, known for his roles in “Tumbbad” and “Crazy,” plays Kesari Lal Singh well. He had to show a simple government worker with a bit of a belly, using only his expressions to connect with the audience and make them laugh. He largely succeeds here. Nushrratt Bharuccha takes on another risky role. As Pushpa, her acting sometimes feels over-the-top. However, in another part she plays, she manages to bring a smile to your face without saying a word.
Nora Fatehi is used effectively in the film. She does what she does best: adding a touch of glamour. Here, the good part is she doesn’t have to speak any lines. Her job is to simply bring that sparkle, keeping Kesari Lal Singh and the audience hooked. She pulls this off quite well. But the real star who shines and makes you laugh the most is Sharib Hashmi, famous for “The Family Man.” Whenever Sharib is on screen, his expressions alone are enough to bring out laughter. He truly helps bring the silent comedy to life. Omkar Kapoor also does a good job as the inspector. Ashok Pathak, known as Binod from “Panchayat,” appears briefly. The rest of the cast performs adequately.
The Quiet Letdown
When we think of silent comedy, names like Charlie Chaplin and Mr. Bean often come to mind. It seems director G. Ashok also had these legends in his thoughts, along with Kamal Haasan’s “Pushpak” and Priyadarshan’s comedies, when writing this story. However, the film doesn’t quite live up to the excitement the trailer built. It falls short on many occasions, missing what a silent comedy should deliver.
The background music, at times, feels more annoying than fun. One might wonder if less music, or just a light score like in Charlie Chaplin’s films, would have made it funnier. The movie also uses a trick too often. It shows entire scenes, only to reveal later that they were just thoughts or dreams. This repetition can quickly get old for the audience. At nearly two hours (116 minutes), the film feels too long. “Ufff Yeh Siyapaa” mostly fails to make you laugh. It seems to focus more on twisting the plot than on actual humor. This leaves the film feeling weak on both fronts.
Why Give It a Watch?
“Ufff Yeh Siyapaa” has some clear issues. Its biggest problem is its runtime. A silent comedy should ideally be around 80 to 90 minutes. This film stretches to almost two hours. This makes many parts feel dragged out and repetitive. The frequent showing of the same kind of scenes makes the movie boring. Also, some suggestive scenes involving Sohum Shah and Nora Fatehi feel shoehorned in. A.R. Rahman’s music and background score don’t quite fit a silent comedy. They fail to create that “comedy of errors” vibe.
However, if you’re a fan of Sohum Shah, you might still want to see it. And we should cheer for filmmakers who dare to make such risky films. This type of movie is rare in our film industry. Taking such a step deserves praise. For this reason, the film can be watched once, though it might have been better suited for an online streaming release.
