Cast: Vijay Deverakonda, Sathyaraj, Nasser, Sanchana Natrajan, MS Bhaskar, Mehreen Pirzada, Priyadarshi Pullikonda, K.S.G.Venkatesh, Motta Rajendran, Karunakaran, Abhirami Iyer, Anastasia Maslova, Karunakaran, Yaashika Aannand
Cameo: Director AR Murugadoss,
Direction: Anand Shankar
Screenplay: Anand Shankar, Shan Karuppusamy
Production: Studio Green, Abi & Abi Pictures (Release)
Music: Sam CS
Genre: Political Thriller
Language: Tamil, Telugu
Version: 2D
Runtime: 2 hrs 26 mins
Censor Certificate: U
Plot - Vinodhan (Nasser) is the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu. His son Varun (Vijay Deverakonda) is a game designer in London. He comes to Chennai for his birthday celebration with his friends. In a crucial situation, Vinodhan resigns his CM post and makes his son as a temporary CM of Tamil Nadu. But, Varun doesn't know anything about politics. This makes him to face more criticism in the beginning. How few situations makes him to feel the responsibility of Chief Minister post and how he plays the political game brilliantly forms the crux of the story.
'NOTA' is a Tamil-Telugu bilingual political thriller, directed by Anand Shankar. This film is based on the novel 'Vettattam' by Shan Karuppusamy.
Performance of the Star Cast - Vijay Deverakonda delivers a terrific performance and he steals the show as 'Varun' throughout the film. When he comes to know about the responsibility of 'Chief Minister' post, he looks very majestic and his actions are really massive. His play in the political game is really superb. Sathyaraj delivers his usual cool and best performance. His supporting character role looks very strong and his dialogue delivery about the politics gets a good response. Nasser delivers a neat performance. His character makes the political game to be more interesting. He also reflects the play of a politician in a situation and how the situation exposes the real nature of a politician perfectly. Sanchana Natrajan delivers a convincing performance as the opposition party leader and her character reminds me about Trisha's role in 'Kodi' movie. Her characterisation is neither positive nor negative. The tough competition between Vijay and Sanchana could have been stronger. MS Bhaskar as usual delivers his best performance. Mehreen Pirzada plays a 'news reporter' role, but her characterisation looks very weak. Even though her role is like an extended cameo, she gives her best. Priyadarshi Pullikonda, Motta Rajendran, Abhirami Iyer and Anastasia Maslova have done their part well. Karunakaran and Yaashika just comes as a friend of Vijay Deverakonda.
Technical Works - Santhana Krishnan Ravichandran's cinematography is really good, in which visuals looks very catchy. His visuals helps the political game to be lively. Raymond Derrick Crasta's editing looks very neat. His cuts doesn't have any improper finish. His editing helps to maintain a neat flow of politics. Sam CS's songs are not very impressive. Among that, 'Hey Amaichaa' and 'The Rise of a Leader Theme' song sounds good. His background score looks very strong, which elevates the seriousness of the political game.
Director's Involvement with the Script - Director Anand Shankar has to be appreciated for a bold political attempt in Kollywood. He deals with the current TN politics and the game behind it, just by making a few changes. That's the major strength to set the political tone in a right way. Through this, he makes the entire audience to get easily related with it. He frames the lead characters such as Vijay Deverakonda, Nasser and Sathyaraj in a very strong way. When it comes to other characters, his writing looks good only for few characters. Through Vijay's characterisation, he shows the power of a youngster's entry in politics. Through many scenes, he makes to feel that these changes are really necessary in the present. He sets a good conflict for Vijay Deverakonda's political transformation. But, he has taken much time to get into it. This makes the political content to be more dependent on the second half. If he had introduced it in the mid of the first half, the political game would have been more interesting. I felt that the title hasn't been justified properly.
Screenplay Execution - In the first half, the film opens with a very normal start. Even though it enters into the plot directly, the screenplay takes time to create an interest about Vijay' Deverakonda's responsibility of Chief Minister. Later, the situation comes to show his strong action. That scene creates a great curiosity about the political game. It also makes us to think as the first point of real politics. But, the screenplay comes out of focus from the political game for few minutes. This slows down our interest. The interval block looks promising, as the director sets the conflict there perfectly. In the second half, the screenplay maintains a good flow. The film uses 'Chennai Floods' as a great establishment of Vijay Deverakonda's positive fame in people's minds. That entire sequence looks so superb. In the mid of the second half, the intensity gets dropped down slightly. Later, the screenplay comes back to the good form and the political game is at its peak. Towards the climax, the screenplay becomes engaging. The climax looks convincing. The director gives a finishing touch, by giving a lead for the sequel.
Main Negatives of the Film - Even though the political content looks bold and interesting, the director's presentation is impressive only in parts. Without the songs ('Yethikka Yethikka' and 'Raja Raja Kula'), the director could have explained the scenario of Vijay Deverakonda's birthday celebration and the trap set for him. Those songs comes as a disturbance only. In the mid of the first half, the director sets a good starting point for Vijay Deverakonda's transformation. After that, the director should have maintained the same flow. In between, his screenplay deviates our interest and it comes to a good flow only from the pre-interval block. In the second half, the film goes in a very good flow in the initial stage. But, the narration of Sathyaraj's flashback slightly deviates the interest once again. Even though it has a great connect towards the climax, the presentation of that portion could have been better. Few logical questioning arises in between. In few parts, the political content looks good as the paperwork. When those come into execution part, it could have been better.
Verdict
'NOTA' is a good political thriller from Anand Shankar, in which the presentation of the political content looks bold. As the content is highly relevant to our current politics, the audience are able to easily relate the situation with them. Vijay Deverakonda's screen presence is the biggest strength to the film. In the first half, the director takes more time to set the political game conflict. In the second half, the execution of the political game looks good. There are many flaws which makes to feel that the film is not like expected one. It makes the audience to feel that this political game could have been more stronger. Still, we comes out of the theatre without any bigger disappointments. This film deserves 'worth watchable once' category for Vijay Deverakonda's strong performance and also for the good execution of political game in the second half.
Cut Short Rating
Vijay Deverakonda Fans - 8.2/10
General Audience - 7.5/10
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