What Is the Story About?
SonyLIV’s new Tamil original series ‘Accidental Farmer And Co.’ centres on a village simpleton, Chella (Vaibhav), who’s lazy and hates anything to do with ‘work’. When he inherits a piece of land from his grandfather, Chella plans to cultivate it, provided it needs minimum effort from him; but he fails consistently.
Things take a turn when a strange ‘medicinal herb’ sprouts on its own on the land. With the help of Aalu (Venkatesan), his wife (Dhanam), the village quack Moorthy (Chutti Aravind), school boy Sevala (Naga Vishal), Mani (Vinoth), Nallamakka (Vinothini Vaidyanathan) and the village postman (Badava Gopi), Chella makes the best of the herb growing on his land. Chella’s love interest Sheela (Ramya Pandian) helps out from time to time, while Durai (Inba Ravi) tries to throw a spanner in his works.
Accidental Farmer And Co. is written and directed by Sugan Jay, and produced by Nivetha Baskaran and N. Guru Prasad.
Performances?
Every member of the ensemble cast has put in their best in the series. The interesting characterisations and the smart writing ensure that the performances stay consistently good throughout the 8-episode runtime. Vaibhav, Chutti Aravind, Badava Gopi, Inba Ravi, Vinothini Vaidyanathan and Naga Vishal are especially good.
Analysis
Accidental Farmer And Co. has a lot going for it, making it an eminently watchable show. Most importantly, the wonderful characterisations of each character help make the show engaging and entertaining throughout. The story is quaint and quirky, made more fun because of the endearing cluelessness of Chella and company. Their naivete and simplicity makes the viewer root for the underdogs that they are.
Their utter gullibility and trusting ways endear the characters to the viewers, bringing an involuntary smile to your face time and again. For instance, and hilariously too, they suspect nothing of the narcotics bureau lady even when she brings the police to their door. Quite an unwary bunch this.
The story and the writing is good too. You’ll love how providence and prudence come together to turn the wheels of fortune for the happy-go-lucky gang. Timely twists provide dynamism to the narrative, especially the neat little twist at the end. It sets the tone for the next season, provided the series gets a renewal for Season 2.
The treatment given to the story lends novelty to a plot that is in no way new or innovative. Sugan Jay has infused the story with a delightful old-world charm and a whimsical quality that is hard to define, but lovely to watch. Think ‘Banshees Of Inisherin’, and its setting in the back of beyond; Accidental Farmer And Co. is set similarly, in a village still largely untouched by the internet and social media. The lovable characters add to the charm of the story.
Of course, not everything is perfect in Accidental Farmer And Co. The runtime is way too long, and often gets quite repetitive,even though the episodes are short. The story could have been told in half the time, had the makers so decided. The pace of the storytelling also drops in segments that seem stretched at times.
To sum it up, Accidental Farmer And Co. is a good watch, despite the drawbacks. Watch it for its feel-good charm, its placid, easygoing narrative, and its tension-free, undemanding, uncomplicated storytelling.
Music and Other Departments?
Vagu Mazhan’s background music is as quirky as the story and its characters. The unconventional score imbues the narrative with a refreshing earthiness, elevating the storytelling at crucial moments. Sathish Murugan N’s cinematography perfectly complements the screenplay. The editing is adequate.
Highlights?
Well-written Characterisations
Lovable Characters
The story and direction
Drawbacks?
Repetitive Bits
A tad long
Did I Enjoy It?
Yes
Will You Recommend It?
Only for those who like watching laid-back, leisurely storytelling
Accidental Farmer And Co. Series Review by Binged Bureau
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