UT69 Review: The Raj Kundra biopic has a slow storyline, but a decent performance

Film:
UT69

Duration: 1 hour 57 minutes

Director: Shahnawaz Ali

Starcast: Raj Kundra

Platform: Theatres

UT69 Review

UT69 is the biopic of business tycoon Raj Kundra (husband of actress Shilpa Shetty Kundra) who faced a jail term after being accused of the pornography case in 2022. Based on that very turbulent phase of his life, Raj Kundra has been telling his own story. Well, this was a gutsy move on his part, and in terms of performance, it was a fine decision. However, the story needs some real work. Though it is a unique experience to watch a film like this, there are too many moments that are dragged, they don’t only make you yawn, but also make you feel sleepy.

Another issue with Raj Kundra starrer UT69 is that it fails to stir emotions. The entire film seems to be built on a very superficial scale and that doesn’t build any kind of connection. There is not a scene where as a viewer I felt emotional, not that I wanted it to be a sob story, but sadly, I did not feel bad for Raj throughout the story. So the emotional element really needed to be strong.

Watch the trailer of UT69 here

Story of UT69

The story begins with Raj Kundra being taken into police custody following the pornography case accusations. The first few minutes highlight his shocking experience of jail and the struggles of settling in. Just when he thinks he has gotten bail, life only gets worse when he is shifted to a more crowded barrack, from there begins the story of Raj bhai who makes do with his life in that moment. Constantly failing to make his way out through bail, Raj narrates what went on in his mind there.

Sharing his underwhelming account, he finally walks out with some happy memories and a whole lot of friends. He works towards making the jail conditions better for inmates and that’s all the story is about.

Highlights of UT69

1. Raj Kundra’s performance

As a first-timer at the movies, Raj has done a decent job in the film. However, he fails to pinch your heart. His performance is quite decent, in fact, seeing him on the big screen reliving the situations he was actually in, made many understand his plight during those days.

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2. Unique format

The story for this feature film has been told in a very documentary style. There is just one song at the end, almost no creative liberties taken, no exaggerations done. That is good, but also gets monotonous in the long feature format, only making the film seem very lengthy.

Drawbacks of Raj Kundra starrer UT69

1. The length of the film

UT69’s run time is 117 minutes which is way too long considering the story is not that heavy that it needs almost two hours to be told. It can easily be reduced by 17 minutes. The storyline is very slow, looks like the director took his own sweet time to establish what is happening. The story lacks impact and that is also because it fails to hold attention.

2. Lacks emotional quotient

Though the story is about a tough phase of his life, it does not pull heartstrings. While one does not expect it to be a sob story, there needs to be an impact of a tough jail life, but there is none. In fact, it is more about the good times, and very little about the battle that goes in his head. To sum it up, it is not clear what the story is trying to convey.

3. The dialogues

The writing in the film is also very weak, it is repetitive and boring. Also, Raj’s accent doesn’t fit well with the vibe the film creates. Though the team has tried to keep it as real as they can, it is not coming across. Even the unnecessary toilet-related scenes, jokes, and sexual innuendos were just a little gross to witness.

Conclusion

Only if you are out of options to watch something or have a lot of time to spare, then you should this film.

Also Read: Raj Kundra opens up on UT 69 title for biopic has an innuendo, says, ‘Sex and Shah Rukh Khan sells in Bollywood’