What Is the Story About?
Sundaramoorthy, an advocate, has found little to no success in his profession, making him the butt of ridicule at work and an embarrassment to his family. After multiple requests, he reluctantly accepts Aruna as his junior. In a bid to revive his flagging career, he takes on the case of Karuppusamy, a man who tragically ends his life on the court premises.
Performances?
Kalaimamani Saravanan deservedly gets his due in a principal role in Sattamum Needhiyum; there’s enough earnestness and likeability to his performance to make a viewer root for Sundaramoorthy. Namritha MV’s feisty presence as Aruna presents an interesting contrast to the protagonist. While her character could’ve done with a better arc, she does a neat job with the performance.
Aroul D Shankar makes a mark while he lasts, but arrives too late in the show, and there’s nothing meaty to suggest why he makes for a strong opponent. Shanmugam, in the shoes of Kuppusamy, exaggerates beyond necessity and invites uncalled-for melodrama. In a brief appearance, Iniya Ram is alright.
Analysis
Sattamum Needhiyum, directed by Balaji Selvaraj and with Sooriyaprathap S as showrunner, is a classic underdog story. No one takes Sundaramoorthy seriously; it’s been ages since he fought a case. His son considers him a failure and cites him as a reason for not pursuing a career in law. When he recommends Aruna as a junior to his colleagues, she faces rejection all around. The world has largely given up on him, but he makes a last-ditch effort to redeem himself.
To give you a sense of what to expect, the show aims for the same impact as Jolly LLB (which was remade in Tamil as Manithan) and the Hotstar series Criminal Justice, where an underdog lawyer takes on an improbable case, counters a worthy opponent, and ultimately triumphs. That the protagonist is more elderly lends a new twist to the premise; he earns your sympathy easily.
Why Sundaramoorthy hasn’t tasted success or what made him lose the impetus to take charge of his destiny isn’t explicitly stated; you’re left to connect the dots. However, the show makes it clear that he’s sincere and knowledgeable, and soon finds an ally in an up-and-coming lawyer, Aruna. Even when he takes on the new case of a man who immolates himself, he does so for credibility, not money.
The complications in Karuppusamy’s case are intriguing, and Sundaramoorthy needs to fight hard to hold his own. Karuppusamy, a mentally challenged man, is released from a medical facility after two decades and is pumped up to meet his daughter Vennila, who is kidnapped shortly. When his efforts to file a complaint/case about the missing girl go unnoticed, he kills himself.
The conflicts in the story are as typical as they can get. Attempts are made to silence Sundaramoorthy and Aruna; the opponent is rich, powerful and misuses his authority to keep them at bay. While you’re invested in the narrative on an emotional level and the plot takes engaging turns, the storytelling is too simplistic. The bad guy doesn’t really prove his might; the duo has an easy run.
The courtroom proceedings get their intent right, but lack spunk in execution. Although the nature of the case is compelling, the characters (excepting Sundaramoorthy) don’t create much of an impact. Even with the junior Aruna, she remains a yes-woman mostly and doesn’t contribute significantly to the case. The climax is hurried, desperate to gift a win to the protagonist.
Sattamum Needhiyum is an easy show to watch despite its problems with a familiar yet bankable premise, backed by decent performances. The writing could’ve been better, yes and one wishes Sundaramoorthy had to do more to earn his victory. If courtroom dramas are your thing and you don’t mind a low-stakes outing to kill time this weekend, go for it.
Music and Other Departments?
On the technical front, Sattamum Needhiyum lacks much appeal. While most of the crew – cinematographer S Gokulakrishnan, composer Vibin Baskar, editor Raavanan and others – get the job done, it is functional, at best. It doesn’t do much to enhance the impact of the story or lend it a new dimension. The premise needed stronger writing, and episodes end too quickly to generate substantial interest.
Highlights?
Familiar Premise
Decent Performances
Inner workings of the Case
Drawbacks?
A casual, laid-back approach to Storytelling
Writing lacks meat in Places
Hurried Climax
Did I Enjoy It?
In parts
Will You Recommend It?
Only if you have a taste for underdog courtroom dramas
Sattamum Needhiyum Series Review by Binged Bureau
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