Reading a good crime novel is an experience in itself. You get so absorbed in
the story that even small things around you—a loud knock at the door or a call
from an unknown number—can make you suspicious. That’s the magic of a page-turner.
The latest Zee5 series, Regai, based on popular Tamil crime writer Rajesh Kumar’s
novels, isn’t exactly a page-turner. You don’t feel the need to rush through it,
but you also don’t want to leave it halfway.
Unlike many of Rajesh Kumar’s novels, the show starts with a mysterious death
involving some science. The crime happens in a small town far from Chennai, in
Tirunelveli. Inspector Vetri (Bala Hasan) of Courtallam, who is waiting to be
transferred to the bomb squad in Chennai, is asked to investigate. The case is
personal for him because he had mentored the murder victim. As he investigates,
he uncovers more about the victim and a series of other deaths.
Tamil web series creators, especially in crime or supernatural genres, often
like to set stories in the TTK region (Tirunelveli, Thoothukudi, and
Kanniyakumari). Regai follows this trend, and its setting doesn’t feel out of
place because it matches Rajesh Kumar’s style of introducing crimes in small
towns.
However, the series sometimes awkwardly switches between normal Tamil and the
local Nellai Tamil. It seems like the creators are trying too hard to make the
story feel authentically Tirunelveli, with characters suddenly using words like
‘Kottikaaran’ instead of ‘Paithiyakaaran’. This effort can feel a little forced
at times.