The Kannada-language science fiction dystopian action film UI 2024 was written and directed by Upendra. The film features significant roles from Reshma Naniah, Sunny Leone, Vinayak Trivedi, Nidhi Subbaiah, Sadhu Kokila, Murali Krishna, and Indrajit Lankesh. Lankesh also has a supporting role. The film is being produced by Venus Entertainers and Lahari Films.
Announcement and Music.
UI was formally unveiled in June 2022. B. The soundtrack to the film was composed by Ajaneesh Loknath. The movie debuted in theaters on December 20, 2024.
Plot.
Set in a fictional world the director created, the drama revolves around a psychological conflict between a city king and an oddball. Because of his clever and well-planned plans, the man takes control and becomes a tyrant.
Cast.
Upendra as Satya Naniah/Kalki Reshma
Kokila Anudeep Sadhu, Trivedi Vinayak K. V.
Sharma Murali Lankesh Subbaiah Indrajit P. Kumar Achyut, Om Sai Prakash Ravishankar, and Nidhi Guru Prasad
Development.
Upendra’s vision for UI’s future was formed in the mid-2000s. It is his twelfth overall and his first since directing Uppi 2 (2015). Even in the last stages of production, the film’s idea and plot were kept under wraps, and its creators described it as “entertaining yet addressing a significant global issue.” The movie, which reportedly had a ₹100 crore budget, deals with strange subjects.
UI received its U/A certification on December 19, 2024.
The film was released on June 3, 2022, and its title, UI, refers to the mark that is worn on the forehead. It was produced by G. Manoharan of Lahari Films and K. P. Sreekanth of Venus Entertainers. It was revealed that UI would be released in Kannada, Telugu, Tamil, Hindi, and Malayalam.
Casting.
Murali Sharma was cast in the film when it was revealed in June 2022. A month later, Nidhi Subbaiah was signed for a significant part. While Sunny Leone’s involvement was suspected but not confirmed, Reshma Naniah’s role was publicly disclosed in November 2022.
In May 2023, it was revealed that Leone and Naniah had been cast with Murali Krishna and Indrajit Lankesh. Shivakumar, renowned for his work on the KGF series, served as the art director. Editor Dipu S. Kumar and cinematographer Prajwal helped with the technical aspects of the movie.
Filming and Post-Production.
More than 1,400 visual effects shots are used to embellish the film’s huge city set, which spans 10 acres. This was the first Asian film to employ cutting-edge technologies including 3D scanning using over 200 DSLR cameras and VR-Mocobot. Filming was held in Bengaluru, Hyderabad, and Mysuru, among other locations.
After principal photography concluded in August of 2023, a music sequence was shot in October of the same year. Upendra also contributed to the editing. When dubbing began in late August, Upendra narrated the Telugu and Kannada versions.
Marketing.
The concept poster for the film, which featured a horse-like monster, was released on June 3, 2022. BTS (Behind the Scenes) footage was made public on January 2, 2023, and another video showcasing the team’s efforts was made public on May 1. On September 18, Upendra’s birthday, an audio-only teaser was issued with stressful sounds and the thought-provoking question, “How does one escape this?”
Soundtrack.
The background music
The soundtrack, composed by B. Ajaneesh Loknath, has two singles:
Promotion for Saste Gaane’s February 14, 2024, release
On March 4, 2024, the song “Troll” was made available.
Release.
Originally planned for October 2024, the release finally debuted on December 20, 2024, due to post-production delays. Zee Kannada acquired the rights to the satellite.
Reception.
Critical Response UI received positive reviews, averaging 4.25 out of 5.
Box Office
The film’s commercial success led to its inclusion in the top 50 films of all time.
