Sengalam review: Kalaiyarasan, Vani Bhojan's political drama is harmless, but has more misses than hits

2.5/5

Story: Three brothers, who are on a killing spree, are awaiting the perfect time to take revenge on their third target. A cop has been assigned to nab the trio and he's hell-bent on capturing them alive. Meanwhile, a political kingmaker, who is reeling under the untimely demise of his son, is confused about choosing the right candidate for the post of municipal chairman in his town. All of them are linked to each other through a series of incidents that involve deceit, aspirations, loyalty and murders.  

Review: Director SR Prabhakaran, who has a knack of presenting rural characters and lives on screen, has chosen a small town as the backdrop for his OTT debut Sengalam, a political drama. It begins with Rayar (Kalaiyarasan) and his two brothers who have assassinated two people as part of their revenge. A stern cop (Arjai) is after the trio and decides to nab them at any cost before they commit the third murder. 

In the meantime, Sivagnanam (Sharath Lohitashwa), the head of a politically influential family, is baffled over choosing the next candidate for the post of municipal chairman in his town after his elder son, who held the position passed away. He is expected to pick one among his younger son, daughter and daughter-in-law, and his loyal admirers are keeping their fingers crossed.

The two plots converge at a crucial point and a series of unexpected incidents sums up Sengalam's story. The series has ample opportunities to conceive a riveting political drama packed with action episodes and intriguing twists. The major positive aspect of the web series is the flawless performances of a few artists.

Sharath Lohitashwa stands out with the portrayal of an ageing, but determined family head who is aware of the responsibility he shoulders. The complex character of a political kingmaker, who is torn between his children's aspirations, is safe in his hands.

Kalaiyarasan and Vani Bhojan enjoy a lion's share of the screen space and they have done justice to their respective characters. Vela Ramamoorthy, Prem and Muthukumar among others register their presence with their honest depictions. The technical departments are okayish and act as catalysts in crucial portions. 

However, what lets us down is the incoherent screenplay which doesn't allow us to keep ourselves glued to the screen. The incidents that happen in two time frames are showcased intermittently, leaving us confused at times.

This irregularity in the sequence pattern refrains us from investing in the emotional woes of the characters. Some of the roles are designed interestingly, but the wow factor is missing throughout, which leaves us yearning for episodes that are packed with adrenaline rush.

The twists and turns are predictable and some of the much-hyped conflicts are presented in a lukewarm manner. The objectives of a few characters appear impressive in the beginning, but as the story unfolds, they end up as clichéd and unstimulating.

Verdict: The series has a host of not-so-bad ideas, but they aren't fleshed out properly. The old-style presentation is unappealing amid a few interestingly-woven characters. 

Sengalam is streaming on Zee5.