5 reasons why thriller web series Suzhal is a must watch

#SuzhalonPrime is written and created by Pushkar-Gayathri of ‘Vikram Vedha’ fame and stars Aishwarya Rajesh, Kathir, Parthipan and Sriya Reddy.
5 reasons why thriller web series Suzhal is a must watch
5 reasons why thriller web series Suzhal is a must watch
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A young girl goes missing in a small town in Tamil Nadu, even as devotees throng the graveyard for a unique festival: grave looting. Intrigued? Suzhal: The Vortex, a Tamil web series that will premiere on Amazon Prime Video on June 17, is the talk of the town. The trailer dropped on June 7, and the different threads in the plot promise a layered, never-before-seen thriller. The series was announced by the OTT platform at the International Indian Film Academy Awards (IIFA) 2022 in Abu Dhabi. It’s easy to see why Suzhal has got the audience excited. The series revolves around a chilling mystery set in the backdrop of the festival of Mayanakollai, which translates to ‘looting the grave’.

Here are five reasons why Suzhal is the biggest mystery thriller to watch out for:

1. The Pushkar-Gayathri magic touch

The trailer of Suzhal begins with a voiceover that speaks of how the shift of a single atom is enough to unleash a chain of events. There are stories within stories and nothing is as it seems. The complexity of the world of Suzhal is only to be expected. The series is written and created by director duo Pushkar-Gayathri, who gave us the unforgettable Tamil film Vikram Vedha.

The festival of Mayanakollai, where devotees revel in the macabre, plays an important role in Suzhal and Pushkar-Gayathri’s flair in linking myths and legends to our present makes the series an exciting prospect. The chilling visuals in the trailer – of a hazy chase in the forest and the drama surrounding the festival – promise enough goosebumps for mystery lovers. The series is directed by Bramma (Kuttram Kadithal) and Anucharan (Kirumi), who have shown their skill in making gritty thrillers.

2. Proven cast

A young woman who takes on the system to find her sister. Two cops who are working the case and dealing with the twists and turns. A father in search of his daughter. The trailer intercuts with different plot threads to show how these compelling characters are connected. The web series has Aishwarya Rajesh, Kathir, R Parthipan and Sriya Reddy in the cast. Aishwarya Rajesh is known for her wonderful performances in films like Kakka Muttai, Ka Pae Ranasingam, Vada Chennai and more. In the trailer of Suzhal, her assertive voice demanding answers stands out. Along with the selective Sriya Reddy who is playing a police officer, this series has two women actors in the lead. 

Kathir’s searing performance in Mari Selvaraj’s Pariyerum Perumal is what anchored a widely discussed film on caste. In Suzhal, he plays a naïve policeman who must navigate the system to solve the case. Veteran actor-director R Parthipan is well-known for his natural acting and sense of humour. With such powerful performers who are known to pick good content, Suzhal is sure to be a solid outing. It’s taken three years for the makers to complete the project owing to delays caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

3. Small town setting

Suzhal is set in a small industrial town in Tamil Nadu that’s ripped apart by the case of the missing girl. It’s clear from the trailer that the industry plays an important role in the film, and links back to an earlier case of disappearance. It’s not just one mystery but two! So far, the original Tamil content we’ve seen on OTT has mostly been anthology films set in cities that appeal to a metro audience. These stories tend to be rather generic. However, time and again, viewers have shown that they appreciate a well-told story with cultural specificities. This is especially true of the OTT space where people get hooked to content from anywhere in the world, even picking up other languages along the way. Suzhal, with its focus on local culture and people embedded within its wraps, will make for an immersive experience.

4. Well-made thriller

Suzhal is an eight-episode crime thriller about a missing girl. It has well-defined characters who make you care about what you’re watching. Who doesn’t love an edge-of-your-seat mystery that makes you want to binge-watch the whole series? And what makes it better is how well-made it is. It would be great to finally see a gripping series in Tamil.

5. A pioneer web series

Suzhal is Amazon Prime Video's first web series in Tamil. Many south Indian films have found audiences beyond borders in recent times, but the OTT space for original content is still largely Hindi-centric. Amazon Prime Video’s web series like The Family Man, Paatal Lok, Made in Heaven and so on have been big hits, bringing in new viewership for this format and platform. Suzhal has the potential to do the same for southern content, adding to the diversity of what we get to see as subscribers. The series will be released in 30 languages, including international ones like French, German, Italian, Japanese, Polish and Portuguese.

With its nail-biting premise and exemplary cast and crew, Suzhal should be on the ‘must watch’ list of anyone and everyone who loves a good story.

This article was published in association with Amazon Prime Video.

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