'Suzhal-The Vortex' review: Intriguing show with fine acting

Suzhal - The Vortex (2022)

Tamil (Amazon Prime Video)

Series creators: Pushkar and Gayatri

Directed by: Bramma G, Anucharan Murugaiyan

Cast: Kathir, Aishwarya Rajesh, Shreya Reddy, Parthiban

3.5/5

'Suzhal - The Vortex' is set in a small town named Sambalur where everything seems normal at the outset. Everyone knows everyone (at least superficially), and they have their rituals, hierarchies, trials and triumphs. The town’s economy depends on a cement factory which burns down one night. The same night, a young girl Nila (Gopika Ramesh), daughter of Union leader Shanmugham (Parthiban), goes missing. This sets in motion an investigation that brings out the deepest, darkest secrets of the town.

Creators Pushkar and Gayatri ('Vikram Vedha' fame) integrate mythical elements in a well crafted suspense thriller. The series is shouldered by the actors. Kathir finds the middle-ground between boy next door and a mass hero in the role of sub inspector Chakkare, the most endearing character in the series. Shreya Reddy is convincing as the angry cop and a begrieved mother. Santanabharati plays an intriguing but underdeveloped insurance investigator. The mysterious nature of his character triggers a lot of expectations, the pay-off isn't great though.

The story can be condensed into a two and a half hour film but the long form content provides for an in-depth exploration of characters. It allows the characters to escape the binaries of black and white and dwell in the infinite grey.

Social issues like repressed trauma, unconscious bias, child abuse, superstition, are incorporated into the story organically. No character comes off as preachy at any point. The first four episodes directed by Brama G sets up the world at a pace more suited for drama, but the later episodes directed by Anucharan Murugaiyan is swift. Cinematographer Mukeswaran succeeds at crafting visuals that give us an essence of Sambalur. The Music by Sam C S can be overbearing in some parts but otherwise, it enhances the series' mood.

'Suzhal - The Vortex' lacks the production value that other Indian series on Prime Video like 'Family Man' and 'Mirzapur'. The action scenes are sloppy and set pieces unimpressive (barring the festival sequences). But we are not left with a cliffhanger or ambiguity at the end of the season like most of the shows. We receive a concrete resolution that also carries a message.

Overall, this is definitely one of the better web series from the southern industry.