Nayanam Review: Murder Mystery Entertains After A Shaky Start

BOTTOM LINE
Murder Mystery Entertains After A Shaky Start

PLATFORM
Zee5

RUNTIME
2 hours 30 minutes | 6 Episodes

What Is the Show About?

Ophthalmologist Dr Nayan uses a secret device to voyeuristically sneak into people’s lives through his clinic. He soon becomes smitten with a patient, Madhavi, and grows obsessed with the day-to-day happenings of her life. Out of the blue, Nayan witnesses a murder in her house. As he reaches out to the police, they are confused by his claims, until an officer, Harish Chandra, takes over the case.

Performances

Varun Sandesh’s Nayan grows on you with time. Just like the show itself, his performance lacks control initially but steadies once he has a clear purpose. Uttej leaves a good impact in a crucial role. Unlike his usual serious avatars, Ali Reza’s light-hearted approach to the cop character gives a freshness to the portrayal. Priyanka Jain’s arresting screen presence helps her performance, while the others, Rekha Nirosha and Sri Hari Munnangi, do the needful in brief roles.

Analysis

Nayanam, Varun Sandesh’s OTT show for ZEE5, couldn’t have timed its release better. The world has access to each other’s dirty truths more than ever before, thanks to spy cameras, crime podcasts, and even shows like Bigg Boss, which serve their target audience the needful in the guise of entertainment. The series deals with one such extreme scenario concerning a voyeuristic protagonist.

Dr Nayan, the protagonist, is a trademark creep. He uses his profession as a mask to spy on others’ lives, even quitting his well-paid job to chase his obsession and start his own eye clinic. Working per the instructions of a faceless man, he derives sadistic joy from tapping into the secrets of his neighbours and customers. However, this obsession proves costly when he is suddenly entangled in a murder mystery.

The problem starts with Nayan’s attraction to Madhavi, a young homemaker married to a middle-aged teacher. A secret device installed in her spectacles offers him a window into her daily life, until it takes a sinister turn when he witnesses a gruesome murder. Cop Harish Chandra enters the fray and tries to connect the dots.

The show starts on a vague note, where Nayan’s character and his problematic traits (his love for gossip and peeping into others’ personal lives) are introduced without proper context. The storytelling is almost casual (perhaps intentional?) and the scenes are written too loosely to immediately warrant attention. It is hard to decipher if he is the bad guy or just a protagonist with grey shades.

The fact that Nayan narrates his story through a voice-over and repents his actions suggests he is no longer the same person. The plot thickens with the unusual relationship dynamics between the middle-aged teacher and his wife, who bump into Nayan unexpectedly. The presence of a third person in their lives and the age gap between the couple create much-needed curiosity.

The storytelling gets sharper with the police investigation once the teacher goes missing. The director plants several clues and deceives viewers smartly with hints of an extramarital affair and a conspiracy angle, pushing the audience to question the innocence of its pivotal characters. As a spicy twist lands, you appreciate the storyteller’s efforts in guarding the mystery.

This is a generally pulpy thriller that withholds crucial information about the true nature of its characters and puts it out in the open at the right time, showing craftiness in building the mystery. There are bumps and unnecessary distractions in the story intermittently, but one cannot deny its ability to keep you engrossed, even with its low-key ambitions.

Nayanam begins poorly but steadily regains its mojo with a decent screenplay and leaves you reasonably satisfied with its payoff. It is among Varun Sandesh’s better outings in recent years and is likely to please mystery buffs to an extent.

Music and Other Departments?

It is obvious that the show was made under a tight budget, but the crew works effectively within these constraints to ensure production values do not falter. Ajay Arasada’s score is stylish, especially during the investigation sequences in the latter episodes.

The cinematographer’s gaze is integral to the storytelling, given the focus on the secret cam and Nayan’s psyche, Shoaib Siddiqui captures the murkiness in the characters’ lives well. The editor ensures a generally coherent narrative, and the writing does well to recover from a sloppy start. Better character detailing and atmospherics would have aided the impact.

Highlights?

Riveting plot

Decent performances, technical contributions

The screenplay of the last 3 episodes

Drawbacks?

Dull start

Poor character detailing, loose writing at times

Overstuffed climax

Did I Enjoy It?

In parts, yes

Will You Recommend It?

If you’re a murder mystery enthusiast, chances are that you may like it

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