People Media Factory, a prominent production house in Tollywood, has recently debuted a web series titled ‘Newsense,’ aiming to shed light on the murky aspects of the media industry. Starring Navdeep and Bindu Madhavi in leading roles and directed by Sri Prawin Kumar, the series is currently available for streaming on Aha platform.
The narrative unfolds in the backdrop of the 2000s, revolving around a group of stringers affiliated with the Madanapalle press club. These individuals engage in unethical practices, accepting bribes from politicians to manipulate information or omit facts from their reports. Navdeep portrays Shiva, one such stringer driven solely by financial gain, while Bindu Madhavi plays Neela, a reporter for a local news channel whom Shiva admires. However, their smooth operation is disrupted with the arrival of Edwin (Nanda Gopal), the new SI of Madanapalle, leading to unforeseen consequences.
Positives of the series include its daring exploration of pertinent issues within the media landscape. Certain well-crafted scenes offer insight into the darker side of journalism, highlighting the pervasive influence of money and politics on truth. Navdeep delivers a commendable performance, embodying the complexities of his flawed character with subtlety, while Bindu Madhavi shines despite limited screen time. Nanda Gopal’s portrayal of Edwin adds depth to the narrative with his intense and occasionally sardonic demeanor.
However, the series falls short in maintaining a consistently engaging narrative. Despite its promising premise, the pacing falters, resulting in a lack of momentum and occasional redundancy in storytelling. While some compelling moments arise towards the latter part of the season, the overall impact is diminished by a disappointing conclusion that fails to sustain anticipation for future installments.
From a technical standpoint, ‘Newsense’ boasts decent background music by Suresh Bobbili and solid cinematography by Anantnag Kavuri, Vedaraman, and Prasanna, effectively capturing the era in which the story unfolds. Production values are commendable, although the editing could have been tighter to alleviate pacing issues.
In summary, ‘Newsense’ offers glimpses of promise but ultimately falls short of expectations. Navdeep’s standout performance and occasional moments of brilliance notwithstanding, the series struggles to maintain momentum and deliver a satisfying conclusion. Despite its commendable attempt to address pertinent themes, ‘Newsense’ may leave viewers with mixed feelings, making it a somewhat underwhelming viewing experience.”