BOTTOM LINE
Drishyam Feels, Twisted Crime
PLATFORM
SonyLiv
RUNTIME
7 Episodes | 4 hours 21 minutes
What Is the Show About?
A village in the heart of Tamil Nadu is ushering in a festival when a girl, Mercy, goes missing and her father, Solomon, is found dead. Her neighbour, Baskaran, a pharmacist on the cusp of retirement, is raising his grandson (who has a medical condition) after the latter’s parents died. A cop Gautam, who battles much humiliation at work, takes keen interest in solving the case. What connects Baskaran to the crime?
Performances
Two actors largely hold the fort in Kuttram Purindhavan: Vidaarth and Pasupathy. Vidaarth’s underdog characterisation, aided by his controlled portrayal, suits the realistic tone of the show, while Pasupathy is equally superb in a role with several shades as an aging man grappling with guilt. Strong supporting performances come in from Lizzie Antony, Lakshmipriyaa Chandramouli, and the child artistes as well.
Analysis
Director Selvamani Muniyappan’s Kuttram Purindhavan is a layered crime drama that unravels the trajectories of its key characters through the case of a missing girl and her father’s death. The story follows a vulnerable cop Gautam, a seemingly friendly government pharmacist Baskaran who means well, and a widow Esther mourning her husband while anxiously awaiting her daughter’s return.
Gautam gets scant respect at work, forced to tolerate insults from his superiors daily. The aging Baskaran lives with his wife, raising their grandson Rahul, battling an unusual medical condition after the boy lost his parents early. Esther, forced into an unhappy marriage, now finds herself in a precarious position, dealing with multiple storms at home.
The show wastes little time in reaching the crime, where Baskaran bumps into a drunk Solomon and his daughter Mercy on her way to the local church. Shortly thereafter, one of them is dead and the other is missing. Fingers are initially directed towards Solomon’s brother, Venkat, who had a recent property dispute. Baskaran, however, knows something about the incident, and the secret eats him up inside.
The story alternates effectively between an investigation procedural drama and a cover-up. The cops move from one suspect to the next, but the show, at its heart, is about the guilt of a man who guards an unintentional mistake close to his chest and struggles to protect his loved one. While a comparison to Drishyam (due to the crime cover-up angle) is inevitable, the protagonist is barely as cheeky.
All the key characters, Baskaran, Gautham, and Esther, are helpless in some way, suppressing their inner turmoil. The show’s start is atmospheric but lacks immediate grip, taking a little too long to fully set up the premise and the characters’ realities. The treatment is generally sombre, and the momentum only picks up after a couple of episodes, though it rarely loses steam later.
Once the hook for the crime is established and the necessary backstories are chalked out, the screenplay significantly improves. Baskaran’s characterisation and conflict keenly hold your attention. While caught in a ‘heart in mouth’ situation due to his connection to the crime, karma strikes him again with his grandson’s health emergency. He is pushed to the edge and tested, much like the cop, who wants to do the right thing but is rendered powerless.
The director smartly hides crucial information about the characters and the crime from viewers (though a predictable move) and times his revelations right. New twists crop up frequently, and the pace tightens with every episode. New information about Esther’s past and a climax twist concerning Baskaran’s wife contribute to the surprises. The thrills are solid, landing well due to the neatly-etched characters and good drama.
Though the story is seemingly simple, the web series format allows the makers enough time to add juice to the drama without rushing from one suspect to the other. The X factor is the depth of the meaningful interpersonal relationships, which helps it rise above a staple crime drama featuring twists dime a dozen.
Music and Other Departments?
The music score, by Prasad S N, is strictly okay; the narrative gets stuffy because of its indulgence at times. Cinematographer Farook J Basha’s lighting sense and earthy visual style complement the proceedings well. The writing, while relying on a familiar plot, is generally impressive and sincere, barring a false start, being built on good drama. The pacing is a little bumpy in parts, with a few obvious narrative choices that dampen the momentum.
Highlights?
Layered crime drama
Good character development and twists
Strong performances
Authentic rural Tamil setting
Satisfying ending in the final episode
Drawbacks?
Slow start
Jerky storytelling at times
Lacks precision, veers towards melodrama in a few scenes
Did I Enjoy It?
Yes
Will You Recommend It?
If you enjoy gritty crime dramas, don’t think twice
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