BOTTOM LINE
Timepass Gangster Saga Works in Parts
PLATFORM
ZEE5
RUNTIME
2 Hrs 10 mins, 7 episodes
What Is the Show About?
Actor Sooraj is going through a rough patch, with crowds citing his interference with scripts as a reason behind his failures. A new director pitches him a biopic of a real-life undercover cop, Arun. An impressed Sooraj gives his nod to it, while the producer requests him to stay true to the material. Not convinced by its climax during the shoot, Sooraj tries to find the truth about Arun himself.
Performances
After portraying brief roles in popular films like Kaithi, Coolie, Lover, Kanna Ravi plays the lead in Veduvan with assurance, keeping his body language, histrionics in control, delivering an underplayed performance. A well-known face on the small screen and in some of his film appearances for many years now, Sanjiv Venkat is equally convincing as Aadhi, a gangster with a golden heart.
The women – Vinusha, Lavanya – as the emotional anchors of the men in their lives, do their job well, but the scope for a strong performance is minimal. The supporting cast – comprising Shravanitha, S Rekha, Jiva Ravi and others – is strictly okay with unsubstantial roles.
Analysis
Gangster dramas have been a staple diet for Tamil film viewers in recent decades. Veduvan, ZEE5’s Tamil show, helmed by Pavan, doesn’t sell a new idea or reinvent the wheel but alters the lens through which one looks at oft-told stories. Rather than directly dealing with a tale of an undercover cop and his missions, the narrative unfolds through a film script narration and an actor’s reactions to it.
Sooraj, the actor in the show, is positioned like a viewer who goes through the motions while listening to the story of a courageous cop and his tryst with dangerous gangsters. It provides an extra layer to the narrative — a prism through which you understand the cop’s moral dilemmas and challenges at work better. While the detailing remains basic, it nevertheless keeps you engaged.
In need of a film to revive his fluttering career, Sooraj listens to a script based on the cop Arun, an expert at masking his true profession, turning into a beggar, working at a small-time food stall, doing what it takes to accomplish his missions. Arun constantly conceals his identity from the public, staying away from his family for months.
Drowning in his profession, Arun is lonesome, guilty, though helpless about it. While he ruthlessly kills Guna, a much-feared gangster, Arun isn’t at ease dealing with his next target – Aadhi, a messiah in his town, but wanted by the police. Things complicate further when Arun bumps into his ex, Shanti, now the better half of Aadhi. Caught between his past and duty, Arun needs to choose wisely.
The show’s trajectory is simple: create a layer through which one could discuss the cop’s story, establish his righteousness at work, move on to a challenging episode in his life where he struggles to make the right decision, leading to a twisted climax with hazy truths. Despite telling a not-so-novel story, the series constantly explores the internal and external tension in Arun’s life.
The way the director chooses to end the story is particularly interesting – sharing that truth is something that the audience chooses to believe (which may not necessarily be the reality). Even as the film tastes success, Sooraj isn’t exactly happy, for it conveniently masks real-life happenings and no one still bats an eyelid. The show leaves a viewer with questions aplenty about Aadhi’s path.
Who was Aadhi after all? (the ‘nallavara..kettavara’ question comes to the fore again) Is he a criminal or a do-gooder? Is Arun’s quest to stay loyal to his khaki bigger than the truth about Aadhi’s past? Why are the cops after Aadhi? The plot relies on easy coincidences, loosely etched characters to make progress, but surprisingly, the result is not bad at all.
Veduvan makes for a decent viewing because you don’t expect it to make a meal out of a wafer-thin premise mired in predictability. Yet, it manages to run along smoothly without major bumps, remaining focused with a sharp narrative while opting for an unconventional ending. Keep your expectations in check with low-stakes gangster fare, and you may not be disappointed.
Music and Other Departments?
On the technical front, there’s nothing significant to write home about. Vibin Bhaskar’s music doesn’t do anything different for you to take notice. Srinivaasan Devaraj’s cinematography fares slightly better with the sharp frames, compositions that capture the heart of the ambience. The action choreography is mostly unexciting.
Highlights?
Decent screenplay, performances
Different take on a done-to-death genre
Drawbacks?
Remains predictable generally
Generic writing at places, execution lacks finesse
Characters needed more depth
Did I Enjoy It?
In parts, when watched with low expectations
Will You Recommend It?
If you want to kill time and have a taste for low-stakes gangster sagas, go for it
Veduvan Zee5 OTT Series Review by M9
