Why I Think This Is The Best Indian Series Of 2022 So Far
A review of the crime thriller - Suzhal: The Vortex
Main Cast: Kathir, Shreya Reddy, Aishwarya Rajesh, Partibhan Radhakrishnan, Harish Uthaman, Gopika Ramesh
Created by: Pushkar & Gayatri
Directed by: Bramma G & Anucharan Murugaiyan
Available On: Amazon Prime Video
Genre: Suspense/Crime Thriller
Language: Tamil (with multiple-language subtitles)
IMDB Rating: 8.3
No. of Episode: 8
Runtime: Around 45-50 Minutes Each Episode
I don’t read reviews of movies or television shows before watching them. Only after. Trust me, they’re best enjoyed when you’re not sure what to expect. However, the teaser or trailer cannot always be overlooked. But even so, I had not even watched the teaser for Suzhal: The Vortex.
In terms of quality, Indian crime thrillers have seen an incredible rise. This series is on another level entirely. I began the series unsure of what to expect. What happened next was unbelievably captivating. I couldn’t stop myself from binge-watching all eight 45–50 minute episodes.
The story immediately draws you in. It’s enthralling. At times, it allows you to predict what will happen next. And then what happens next surprises you even if you may have anticipated it. And what you can’t predict will blow your mind.
Suzhal: The Vortex Review
Story
Created by Pushkar and Gayatri, and directed by Bramma and Anucharan, the Amazon Prime original series Suzhal: The Vortex is set in the fictional town of Sembaloor. The people there worship the Goddess Angalamman and hold a 10-day annual festival called Mayanna Kollai. The story is set in motion in during the festival with flashbacks connecting to the stories later on.
The festival is important not only to the story but also to the series’ cinematographic allure. The shots, music, and religious ritual all contribute to the show’s intense, dark, and rustic feel.
The cinematography is simply stunning. I’m at a loss for words to describe Mukes’ work here. The show’s cinematography will itself make you fall in love with it.
The story revolves around the disappearance of a teenage girl, the daughter of the local factory union leader. Everyone begins their own investigation. The hunt unfolds stories of corruption, molestation, greed, manipulation, and plenty of suspense and thrills to keep you hooked until the end.
The show is created by the brilliant filmmakers and the lovely husband-wife duo of Pushkar and Gayatri, the famous duo that created the box-office sensation Vikram Vedha. If you have watched Vikram Vedha, then you already have some idea of the quality of content that you are going to see from this series.
Their strategy of placing a chaotic story in a timeline already rife with chaos and fanaticism works brilliantly. The series has a little bit of everything, so there is something for everyone.
The filmmakers do not shy away from incorporating folkloric and religious beliefs into the screenplay. Referring to dark times happening in the village to the provocation of the mystical Devi. It causes you to assume them true at times. At times, modernism takes over, leaving you in a state of uncertainty about what to expect. The incorporation of modernism with historical beliefs is done on purpose and very well.
The story reveals in the very first episode that the village is almost certainly destined to fall into unhealable chaos. The survival of the cement factory is critical to the livelihood of the majority of the people there. The dream of development and prosperity that the villagers saw and worked hard for comes to an abrupt halt. The factory is reduced to ashes leading to a strong sense of unpredictability.
In all these instances of uncertainties, the disappearance or the suspicious kidnapping of the teen daughter of the union leader sets the alarm bell ringing.
There’s so much in one story: the desire for power, the morality of on-duty men, the innocence of adolescent love, the corruption and greed of both powerful and little men, affairs outside of marriage, vows and promises, the escape to new worlds. They are all linked in unique but intriguing ways.
As the character of Khatir, Sakkarai puts it “everyone knows everyone in this town”, but that only turns out to be true on the surface.
As he begins his investigation into the missing girl and the burnt factory, he discovers things that no one in town could have ever imagined. Not he himself ever imagined them. There’s a great deal more underneath everyone’s skin tones in town.
As I previously stated, this show has something for everyone. And there’s a lot more that will mystify you.
As it focuses on the teen love story for a while, the show does have some dull moments right there. Some scenes seem to drag on a little. But that is all.
Star Performances
Kathir’s performance as sub-inspector Chakravarthy, also renowned as Sakkarai, steals the show with his effortlessly endearing performance. He stands out in a series where every single character is terrific. That is how strong his performance is. He accomplishes his act with the same intrigue and charm throughout, drawing your attention to him.
Aishwarya Rajesh performs her role with such ease that you fall in love with her. When put in emotional situations, she shines. Her character has been through enough hardships in the past, and she continues to fight despite her current troubles and vulnerabilities with great ease as seen in the show.
As the head of the police of the falling-into-chaos zone, Sriya Reddy’s role requires her to be tough in her demeanor. Regina is forced to confront some moral quandaries when her personal life interferes with her duty. Her character has a commanding presence in every scene. She excels as a police officer and, more importantly, as a mother.
Shanmugam, played by R. Parthiban, is the factory union leader. Her daughter Nila, played brilliantly by Gopika Ramesh, vanishes the night the factory burns down. He’s the primary suspect. When dealing with multiple crises at once, Parthiban does an excellent job of making you sympathetic towards him.
The other supporting characters have all done an excellent job of keeping this show interesting and thrilling across all eight episodes.
The makers have put their best efforts into giving detailed attention to every character and it shows. In the context of the story, the development of some characters is astonishingly brilliant. Their transformation would make you judge yourself on your little mental pickings about them.
Final Words
I don’t have much to say about it other than that Suzhal: The Vortex is one of the best shows to have arrived on the OTT platform from India. And arguably the best one of 2022, so far.
If you are looking for quality Indian content on Amazon Prime Video, then you can’t go wrong with Suzhal: The Vortex.
If you want me to introduce you to more quality Indian content on OTT platforms like Netflix and Prime Video, either series and movies or even documentaries, please feel free to mention that in the response section. Any encouragement as read, claps, and a lovely comment would be highly appreciated. Thank you, J.
