Thread: Suzhal: The Vortex: Mind Blowing

Venue: Amazon Prime

Every once in a while a piece of art comes across and blows your mind. That this phenomenon has emerged from the creators of Vikram: Vedha should come as no surprise. It was the name Pushkar-Gayathri (the creators) that made me dive in to this web series. The result? Suzhal: The Vortex is the finest Indian web series I've watched in quite some time. The premise is a missing girl and accidental fire at a factory in a quiet town in Tamil Nadu. However the town and its characters have a lot of secrets that keep us guessing until the final reveals. The web series is set in a traditional nine day festival that has been vibrantly shown and also helps maintain the tension of the story and narration of events. The detailing behind the town and characters and cultural clash between tradition and modernity is the real highlight of the show.

The makers have given depth to a fantastic array of actors and actresses-from Aishwarya Rajesh, to Shriya Reddy, who has amazing screen presence and persona, the expressive R Parthiben and the committed, determined Kathir (Pariyerum Perumal). Apart from this central cast there are a number of other interesting characters who have graced the screen. Each one of them have delivered powerful, memorable performances. The cinematography is exquisite especially in the initial sequences where Munnar is shown. Sam C.S's score is electric.

This web series joins a series of interesting recent visual arts which highlight how no one is what they seem. We are as the audience judgemental about each character in the way they look and behave and consider them a suspect, until the writers pull the rugs beneath our feet and make us exclaim 'Whoa'. The narration is really gripping except for some melodramatic sequences in the middle, but towards the latter stages, the pace of events picks up once again and you won't even feel like looking anywhere except the screen. There is a good social message at the end and effective role reversals, the corrupt cop is a woman, for one.

What is fantastic about Suzhal is that all the characters in it are human and flawed, be it on either side of the law. Everyone has their blind spots and prejudices. It's almost as if the writers have presented each one of them, their motivations, and let us be the judge as to whether their actions are right or wrong. Instead of cool heads many characters act based on raw emotion which make Suzhal all the more of a roller coaster ride and unpredictable. The investigation to find the girl is moving because of the emotions involved and the actions of the townspeople, what makes it complex is here, everyone knows everyone else.

I was expecting the ending to be open-ended like Vikram Vedha, but the climax delivered a satisfactory punch. Watch this fantastic, layered web series as soon as possible and go in as blind as possible. I have seen very few better movies or web series in any language this year.

Rating: 4/5

Engaging stuff aanu pakshe too predictable

Thanks Aravind for the Reco....watched it in the weekend...making quality is top class and the story is gripping and has been told in a very engaging way. The way they showed the festival and the related things were amazing, felt like part of the proceedings on screen, also the aerial shots of the valleys...superb. Perfect casting also.

Entertaining aanu..

But personally ellam predictable aayi thonni.... series aayathukond aakum nammakum chinthikyan ulle time kittunund

Cinema aayirinel edge of the seat aakumayirinu