Bestseller Review: A Thriller Without Thrills

Plot

Bestseller, loosely adapted from Ravi Subramaniam's The Bestseller She Wrote, tells the story of Tahir Wazir (Arjan Bajwa), a novelist facing writer's block who uses a fan's (Shruti Haasan) tragic background for his next novel. However, attacks from a social media troll prompt supercop Mithun Chakraborty to investigate the matter. While the story has potential, the reveal of the mastermind and the lack of mystery halfway through the show make it dull and predictable.

Acting

Shruti Haasan tries hard to nail Meetu Mathur, the small town naive girl, but her accent and wide-eyed expression are unconvincing. Gauahar Khan steals the show as Tahir's wife, who is the most likable character. Mithun Chakraborty's ACP Lokesh Pramanik breathes life into the show, but even he can't elevate the shoddy writing. Satyajeet Dubey and Sonalee Kulkarni have little to play with, and their characters feel wasted.

Cinematography

The show's cinematography is average, with nothing noteworthy or striking.

Direction

Mukul Abhyankar's direction fails to make Bestseller a compelling thriller. The show lacks subtlety and rushes to drive home every point, making it loud and unintelligent. The pacing is uneven, with unnecessary scenes, like Mithun's cooking vlog, distracting from the main plot.

Verdict

Bestseller is a disappointing thriller that fails to thrill. The show has a promising story but gets muddled down by the poor execution, direction, and acting. The unnecessary reveal of the mystery halfway through the show and lack of mystery make the show predictable and uninteresting. If you are looking for a good thriller, Bestseller is not the show you should watch.

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