The high-on-rise Telugu star Vijay Deverakonda is much in demand these days, after two back-to-back critically acclaimed blockbusters in Arjun Reddy and Geeta Govindam. We are not counting his supporting role in Mahanati, that came in between, which by the way was also a box office success. Now the young and handsome actor is making his debut with Tamil cinema with NOTA, that will also release in Telugu. Vijay Deverakonda’s NOTA to Clash With Tom Hardy’s Venom and Ayushmann Khurrana’s Andhadhun on October 5.

NOTA is a political thriller, based on real-life events, directed by Anand Shankar. Vijay plays the son of the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister who is made a temporary CM, when his father goes to jail. The movie also stars Mehreen Pirzada, Nassar and Sathyaraj. NOTA has released this week and got mixed reviews. While critics feel that the film falters in being an intriguing political thriller, they were unanimously in praise for Vijay Deverakonda's performance. NOTA Trailer: Vijay Deverakonda Makes a Smashing Debut in Tamil Cinema as Chief Minister We Haven't Seen Before- Watch Video.

Check out some of the reviews below -

FirstPost says, "Vijay Devarakonda’s first straight Tamil film NOTA, directed by Anand Shankar, is an intense political thriller, without any commercial frills. It is gripping and revolves more around the machinations and jockeying that go on behind the scenes to capture power and become the chief minister of a state. Anand Shankar has taken incidents from what happened in Tamil Nadu politics in the last two years as the crux of his story."

TOI says, "The plot is all about how this happy-go-lucky youngster realises his responsibilities and acts for the welfare of the people. But NOTA doesn't flesh out this transformation in a gradual way, giving us scenes that show the evolution of this character. All we get is one scene - a tragedy that is staged in a perfunctory manner - to show us that Varun is someone who cares for others. We do get a hint of this earlier, when we are told that he takes care of a few orphan children, but what really makes us buy into Varun's new-found maturity is Vijay Deverakonda's assured performance."

Indian Express says, "Vijay Deverakonda plays his role with a swag. And Nassar stands out with his performance as a corrupt politician with a grotesque nose. Mehreen Pirzada is nearly non-existent. Anand should be appreciated for not including a dreamy song just so she will get something to do in the film. Sanchana Natarajan and Sathyaraj play their given roles without any rewarding moment to shine. NOTA is a better political drama than Bharat Ane Nenu. But, is that enough?"

The Quint says, "NOTA wins you over with slick storytelling, comic AIADMK and Sadhguru references, and the sheer presence of Vijay Deverakonda, who speaks Tamil surprisingly well. While the movie doesn’t hint at it, this story has scope for a sequel!"

Have you seen NOTA? Share your views on the film in the comments section below.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Oct 05, 2018 05:31 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).