Hyderabad, India – Writer-director Rajesh Karna brings a refreshing zing to the overused crime thriller genre with Newton’s 3rd Law. The Telugu film, starring Sumanth, is a minimalistic, noir-like thriller that frees itself from the excesses of its predecessors. The storytelling stays true to the genre, with no attempt to oversell the plot or its twists, and the execution is sure-footed, offering a largely satisfying cinematic experience.
The film’s hook is immediately engaging: an elderly man named David (Srinivas Avasarala) grows anxious over a copy of a novel that lands on his doorstep. The novel recounts incidents set in 1999, where cop Vasudev (Sumanth) investigates a double tragedy: a college student dropping dead from a building and a single mother being hit by a speeding car. The officer’s investigation peels back layers, revealing multiple theories and a family’s dicey financial situation. Sumanth’s Vasudev is a standout—cool, calculated, and smart, but not a super-intelligent cop who overshadows the narrative. Instead, the film is more interested in unraveling various angles to the crimes, woven around the theme of karma.
The first half effectively establishes the genre’s tropes—incidents, suspects, and investigation—with atmospheric staging that allows viewers to look beyond the obvious. The investigation unfolds during the rainy season, complemented by a relatively upbeat score and pointed dialogue. However, the second half loses some of the precision in writing, with developments either over-explained or rushed. An edgy twist, the film’s USP, is delivered in a hurry, denting the overall impact. The character of Stephen Mercury (Jagapathi Babu) is underwhelming, a stereotypical villain in a black suit, while David’s reactions are somewhat over-the-top.
Sumanth shines as the suave, unhurried protagonist, making his presence felt without screaming for attention. Trinadh Varma is a promising find as a vulnerable youngster, sharing good on-screen chemistry with Pandit Goutham. The technical aspects, including cinematography by Veda Vyas Gottipati and music by Sinjith Yerramilli, are integral to shaping the film’s cool aesthetic. While the second hour is a bit jerky and some commercial liberties are taken with the late 1990s setting, the narrative is a smart fusion of good old tricks and modern-day upgrades. Newton’s 3rd Law is quite watchable, proving that there’s still room for a low-stakes, academic approach to the genre.
