When Varun Sandesh’s name popped up again in the headlines – this time for a new thriller on ZEE5 about an eye doctor who peeks spies on his patients’ lives through some crazy sci-fi device. The idea of this whole voyeurism thing masquerading as a medical practice, a murder witnessed through someone else’s eyes, and a whole big twisty mystery had all the right ingredients to make it a real winner. After watching all six episodes of Nayanam on ZEE5the premise has much more going on in terms of ideas than the actual show itself brought to life.
Varun Sandesh – right back on track
His performance as Dr. Nayan feels like a comeback to his better acting days, all controlled expressions, good body language and an unnervingly dubious presence. His new hairstyle and overall look work well, making him appear both harmless and dangerous at the same time. Anytime he is on screen, the series gets a boost, and you can’t help but feel like you’re watching a bloke who’s taken his curiosity a bit too far.
The Core Idea Is Actually Good
As for the concept – Nayanam’s got a really strong hook going on. Dr. Nayan – an ophthalmologist who helps out the poor with low-cost treatment – has a secret life in his clinic running some dodgy experiments using nano particles in people’s eyes. He straps on some fancy smart glasses – and gets to see what’s going on in their personal lives for a few minutes. And then there’s the moment where he watches Madhavi (Priyanka Jain) bump off her husband – Gowri Shankar (Uttej) – it should have been the point where the series hit top gear. The idea of a doctor turning into some silent witness of crimes through science is all fresh and engaging – I wish they’d carried that all the way through to the end though.
The Investigation Track Makes No Sense
Where the series falls flat is with the bungled police investigation. Dr. Nayan tries to get the cops on the right track by anonymously sending them parcels and notes but they don’t take him seriously. The way the police react, talk and go about their investigation is so half-hearted that it feels like a drama written by someone who’s never seen a real thriller. Ali Reza’s portrayal of the police officer is not good at all, and that completely kills the tension. Instead of a clever, sharp investigation you get a bunch of random guessing. You’d think they’d actually have some brains and do some solid research but nope, it’s just trial and error all the way.
Supporting Characters – a Mixed Bag
Among the supporting cast, Priyanka Jain as Madhavi is sort of fine. She shows up and does what she’s supposed to do but she never really manages to leave a lasting impression. Rekha Niroshi, on the other hand, really shines in her scenes and Uttej saves the day as the tuition teacher – and in a darker light than you’d expect given his character’s limited screen time – mainly the first two episodes and the very last one. He’s got a lot of scope, but the writing doesn’t quite do him justice.
To understand the full gravity of Uttej’s character and why Madhavi did what she did, you absolutely have to watch this web series on ZEE5. The makers don’t spell it out in the first episodes; they make you sit with the mystery
The Climax – Nayan Loses All Credibility
The ending is where a lot of viewers will be scratching their heads. Nayan walks into the police station with a fake love story about Madhavi. He spins this completely made-up tale about how he got involved with her, how he knows things about her – basically, he feeds the police a story that has nothing to do with the truth. An investor who backed Nayan’s experiment demands the device, insisting on a version that can at least show 12 hours of footage through the glasses. Instead of outsmarting the guy, Dr. Nayan just goes ahead and destroys his own invention. The police are left completely in the dark about how Nayan saw the crime and the destruction of the device just makes the whole thing feel pointless.
Final Verdict – Watch for Varun Sandesh and the Idea
Nayanam isn’t a complete waste of time but it’s a long way from what it could have been plus easily predictable plot. The idea is really interesting, Varun Sandesh does a great job and a couple of characters like Uttej and Rekha Niroshi add some weight to their scenes. But that weak investigation track, uneven writing, same old settings and an absolute mess of a climax all drag the series down. This had all the makings of a sharp, clever thriller, but instead it’s just a “good premise, average execution” project. For that reason, Nayanam gets a solid 2/5 rating.
Making their debut as a director, Swathi Prakash shows some ambition with the premise but it falls flat on the technical execution.
