Trending is about Arjun (Kalaiyarasan) and Meera (Priyalaya), a successful influencer couple who have quit their jobs, bought a luxurious villa, and live a lavish lifestyle that is funded by their popular YouTube channel. However, their seemingly perfect life takes a dark turn when their channel is abruptly deactivated, and loan sharks start pressuring them for money. Faced with desperation, they accept an invitation from a mysterious stranger to participate in a twisted reality game that promises a way out, but with sinister consequences.
While the premise is promising and timely, reflecting society’s obsession with social media and the lengths people will go for fame and fortune, the film struggles to maintain narrative logic. The decisions made by Arjun and Meera often feel baffling and poorly motivated, diluting the emotional stakes. Arjun’s readiness to put Meera’s life at risk for financial gain is particularly hard to accept, which makes it difficult to sympathize or invest in their plight. The couple’s desperation never feels fully earned, making their journey less compelling.
At 147 minutes, Trending is ironically too long for a film about social media, failing to capture the concise, engaging style that the medium demands. The first half successfully sets up the twisted and dangerous nature of the game, but the story soon becomes bogged down in repetitive sequences and increasingly nonsensical choices, sapping the tension and urgency from the narrative. The thriller elements take a backseat to prolonged drama that drags, culminating in a dull and uninspired ending that awkwardly teases a sequel.
