Kalaignar’s ‘Sarapalam Samundi’ has taken the film form of ‘Uliyin Osai.’

King Rajaraja Chozha wants the future generations to know of the mighty Chola empire, so he starts work on building the Big Temple at Thanjavur. The job of carving dancing images on the walls of the temple is entrusted to sculptor Perindakshan.

To get a dancing girl as model for this project proves to be a big headache for the sculptor. He even finds faults in the dance of dancer Muthunagai. He eventually falls for the beauty and dance of the granddaughter of a goatherd Muthatty and accepts her as his model. The background of this girl as well as the project of sculpting the dance poses into stone, form the main lifeline of the film.

At a time when we are watching films on today’s definition of love and violence filled action films, a romantic ‘Uliyin Osai’ with a historical background is very relaxing. Some scenes that intrude in the name of comedy could have been done away with and elevated the film’s charm to a higher level.

Vineeth suits the role of sculptor well. When asked what temerity he has to comment on her dance, he responds with requisite abhinaya, where the audience is compelled to applaud the skills of the actor/dancer.

The arrogance and confidence exhibited by Akshaya in the role of Muthunagai is laudable. The snake dance especially is received with thunderous applause.

This being a Kalaignar story, one may be apprehensive that there may be reams of dialogue to sit through, but kudos to the director for using only the requisite dialogues, rather like a good sculptor.

Only when the identity of who the dancer model Keerti Chawla is, is broken, is the mystery of ‘Uliyin Osai’ revealed.  The suspense element in the film has been handled very well.

When Vineeth gouges out his own eyes in self punishment for his fault, and cries “Kanngale en mugathin punngale,� the audience also ends up with moist eyes.

All songs by Ilayaraja are sweet to the ears.

‘Uliyin Osai’ is the embodiment of love and art.