Uttama Villain presents a narrative where it becomes difficult to tell what’s real and what's on screen. The movie follows Kamal Haasan as Manoranjan, a superstar who returns to his mentor Margadarisi (played by K Balachander, the director who guided Kamal’s career) requesting one final film direction after learning he has little time left. This upsets Poorna Chandra Rao, his father-in-law and the producer responsible for his stardom, as well as his wife Varalakshmi, who leaves with their son, unaware of the reason behind Manoranjan's actions. He also discovers he has a grown daughter through Yamini, the woman he once loved but had to leave to marry Varalakshmi. Simultaneously, within the film-within-a-film, a period comedy called Uttama Villain shows Manoranjan as Uttaman, a man (also an actor—a Theeyam artist) mistakenly believed to be immortal. A scheming king, Mutharasan, wants him to reveal the secret of his supposed immortality. As Manoranjan’s time runs short, can he achieve immortality on screen? Above all else, Uttama Villain is a fantastic display of Kamal Haasan's writing abilities. The script masterfully combines subtle moments with comedic elements and avoids excessive melodrama. There are instances where it feels like Kamal draws from his own experiences as a movie star—the opening song "Loveaa Loveaa" seems to be an acknowledgment of taking on roles that weren’t appropriate for his age, pairing him with actresses much younger than himself; when he seeks out Margadarisi, the director explains he can't create a story about the kind of star Manoranjan has become; and when consoling his son after revealing his illness, the moment is interrupted by fans intruding on this intensely personal occasion. These sharp observations add depth to the scenes and make the characters feel more genuine. The Uttaman sequences offer a contrast and primarily serve as a break from the dramatic scenes involving Manoranjan. While Ghibran’s excellent score enhances the drama, the film visually doesn't quite match the quality of the writing (the Uttaman segment feels like a low-budget skit with cheap visual effects), and Andrea and Pooja Kumar are merely adequate in their roles; one wishes the former had more expression while the latter seems to intentionally hold back. Among the many supporting actors, only MS Bhaskar delivers a memorable performance as Manoranjan’s manager Chokku, and K Balachander's recent passing adds an extra layer of emotional resonance to the story. The comedic portions involving Uttaman could have been tighter; given that viewers are familiar with Kamal’s usual acting style, his portrayal of Uttaman doesn’t offer any surprises. However, he more than compensates as Manoranjan, delivering a restrained and deeply moving performance from someone who sometimes tends to overact. We become so invested in this character that by the film's conclusion, we realize our eyes are filled with tears.

Source on TMDB