Suzhal -The Vortex, Amazon Prime Video’s new web series, is a hit with viewers. Ever since the series started streaming on the Over-the-Top platform on June 17, social media has been agog with just how exciting and engrossing it is. Created by Pushkar-Gayathri and directed by Anucharan and Bramma, the eight-episode series revolves around the disappearance of Nila, a 15-year-old girl in the fictional industrial town of Sambalur. That same night, the factory which provides a livelihood to many in the town, goes up in flames. What’s more, Nila is the younger daughter of trade union leader Shanmugham, and his older daughter, Nandini, becomes involved in the investigation.
The mystery unfolds over the course of a local festival, and police officers Regina Thomas and Sakkarai have to dig deep to find out what really happened.
With plenty of twists and turns that keep us hooked till the very end, Suzhal - The Vortex is just the kind of layered thriller that we were waiting for. The wonderful performances by the lead cast comprising Aishwarya Rajesh, Kathir, Sriya Reddy and R Parthiban keep us involved all the more. Here are 10 reactions we had while watching Suzhal - The Vortex:
1. Curiosity: Is the fire in the factory linked to Nila’s disappearance? Did Shanmugham have anything to do with it? Did Nila voluntarily leave her house or was she abducted? There are some obvious answers dangling in the air but Suzhal - The Vortex does not take the beaten track and keeps us guessing all the way.
2. Confusion: Suzhal - The Vortex is unpredictable and as the police investigate the crime, we meet several red herrings. The series plays with our own biases and leads us down a path, only for us to realise that we had it wrong. The confusion is thoroughly enjoyable.
3. Emotional: At the heart of Suzhal - The Vortex is a family that’s struggling to come to terms with the disappearance of a daughter. But this isn’t a conventional family, and there are rifts within it. The realistic writing makes us involved with how they’re coping with what has happened. The bond between the two sisters is especially touching.
4. Fear: As the series takes a dark turn, we’re left wondering who we can trust and who we cannot. Set in a small town, we make several assumptions about the characters based on popular culture conditioning. But Suzhal - The Vortex throws up some menacing surprises that make us sit up. Visuals of the local festival make the series more edgy and immersive.
5. Wonder: Suzhal - The Vortex creates a sense of wonder within us as we watch how cleverly Pushkar-Gayathri has woven in the myths and legends around Angalamman, a fiery goddess, to contemporary events. The parallels drawn between folklore and contemporary events makes the series an intriguing experience. The exceptional cinematography deserves a special mention as does the background score that elevates the theme of the series. There are also issues of faith that come up, with the characters having to confront a diverse set of beliefs.
6. Sorrow: As the secrets tumble out one by one, you’re left feeling sorrowful about the turn of events. Do we really know the people around us? Do the people closest to us trust us enough to open up about their pain and trauma? Suzhal - The Vortex makes us question all that we take for granted.
7. Disgust: Suzhal - The Vortex does not flinch from telling the truth the way it should be told. At the heart of the mystery is an unpleasant secret that evokes disgust. It’s a truth that many have lived through but still does not receive enough acknowledgement. Suzhal - The Vortex turns our gaze rightly towards those who deserve our disgust.
8. Relief: Suzhal - The Vortex isn’t an easy watch. It is a cerebral mystery with many layers and a rewarding one, too. When you feel such a strong emotional connection with the characters, you feel their cathartic relief as the series draws to a close. The urgency and suspense with which you’d been watching the series finds welcome relief as the answers are finally out in the open.
9. Elation: Suzhal - The Vortex gives its characters agency and does not offer cliched solutions. When you’ve travelled with them in this long and complicated journey, their victory feels like yours. The legend of Angalamman, the fiery goddess, acquires more meaning. The series ends with an important note about a relevant social issue that deserves our attention.
10. Introspection: Long after Suzhal - The Vortex has drawn to an end, you think about all that you watched and introspect. About the diverse identities of people, stereotyping, how the justice system works, and the silences within our own families. You think about your own prejudices and blind spots, and that’s the surest sign that the series is meaningful entertainment.
This article was produced in association with Amazon Prime Video.