CAST :Tamannah, Pasupathi, GM Kumar, Vivek Prasanna, Arul Doss, and Nandhini.
Directed By:Indhra Subramanian
BLUF
Anuradha, the daughter of best-selling crime novelist Sudan Ganesan, is an ethical hacker by vocation. Though Anu’s life spins around her Alzheimer-ridden father, Anu is considering selling their ancestral estate to pay for his therapy.
Meanwhile, there is turmoil in the wonderland when Ganesan finds in the middle of the crime scene, where an elderly woman has been murdered. A befuddled Anu will go to any extent to protect her father and here is where the whodunnit starts.
THE MEAT AND THE POTATOES
A bestselling crime novelist with Alzheimer’s is at a crime scene and a prime suspect for a murder. Now the plot needs to justify the motivations of its many characters persuasively without OTTing the scene and upholding the meanders for the right instants.
IN THE ZONE
Writer-director Indhra Subramanian is among the best Tamil writers to have hit this space.
November Story is perhaps among Tamannaah’s best performances and she makes the most of the role that she has been offered. The character reverberates a lot with the audience because it tells the story of strong women who can be vulnerable and have their flaws too. Tamannaah oozes poise and maneuvers her star charisma to tell a good story. Pasupathy is superb as the forensic expert with shades of grey as he personifies the more challenging aspects of his character very appropriately.
GM Kumar, with his authoritative screen presence and the veteran-like wisdom in his stature, is an ideal choice to play the ailing crime novelist father to Anu with enough restraint. Vivek Prasanna proves that he has more to him than his comic punches while it’s a cakewalk for someone like Aruldoss to play the fiery, witty cop. The supporting cast is filled with many a new face and they make their opportunity count.
FWAR
The best of storytellers understand that it’s important to get into the headspace of characters as much as they go on with the plot. November Story’s characterization is equally human and sensitive. The careers of its key characters exist for a good reason and not merely to decorate the plot. And most importantly, the treatment avoids unnecessary stereotypes. When have you seen an ethical hacker in a show, work in an old little complex, using the local train to commute? There’s alluring detail attached to her profession and it’s not as if she has a solution for everything.
While Anu tries her best to be a caretaker daughter to her father, there are moments where she’s just fed up with looking after him day after day. Anu and Ganesan are very human characters at the end of the day. Another aspect that strikes you instantly about November Story is the seamlessness with which all events in the show are tied up. Not a moment feels wasted and it’s a blessing in a thriller setup. The narrative is always one step ahead with the guessing game and in establishing the motive of the chief culprit.
Composer Saran Raghavan is the backbone of the show whose terrific background score effortlessly blends with the narrative and doesn’t scream for attention. The earthy visual tone in the show complements the premise and Vidhu Ayanna’s captivating cinematography appreciates the beauty within ordinariness and thankfully avoids glorifying gore beyond the purpose of the story. November Story is a rare example of a web show that justifies its length although the last few episodes may bamboozle you with too many details.
WHAT WE LOVED
Great Performances
Top Class Execution
Strong Storyline
WHAT WE MISSED
A little OTT
Drama
