Over a decade after director Sarkunam delivered a scathing commentary on the education system in the National Award-winning Vaagai Sooda Vaa (2011), the filmmaker is back to crack the whip on the system with the Prime Video series Exam, which premieres on May 15. The new series sheds light on irregularities in competitive exams that can bring aspirants' years-long dreams crashing down. "I actually have a lot of friends who run coaching centres sharing their concerns and grievances about the irregularities in the exams. Also, I did some research into many such scams that reduce the aspirant's efforts to zilch. It is one such scam that shattered me, based on which Exam is made," begins Sarkunam. 

Sarkunam has given this social issue a thriller treatment in Exam, and he believes this treatment is required for the audience to consume the strong content. "It is like taking a pill along with sugar. If I just bombard them with one fact after another, they won't be interested in watching it. Giving it a thrilling investigative angle accompanied by some personal stories of characters, I have given a makeover to this story, which would have otherwise just remained a social drama," he says, as he shares that the series's creative producers and noted filmmakers Pushkar and Gayatri have been a great support in acclimatising him to the OTT space. "Had they been just the producers, their prime focus would be on cost-cutting. As filmmakers themselves, they understood the story's requirements and ensured I got everything I wanted. Also, I am not so confident in English, and they helped me communicate with higher-ups in Prime Video. They also shared valuable input on the content side. They were impressed with my narration, and their only suggestion was to end every episode with a cliffhanger."

Interestingly, Sarkunam praises filmmaker Prashanth Pandiyaraj for opening the floodgates of the OTT platforms with his groundbreaking Tamil series, Vilangu. "There was a time when only urban thrillers were the order of the day on OTT platforms, when it came to Tamil content. But Vilangu broke that formula and made rural stories appealing. Then came Suzhal and Vadhandhi: The Fable of Velonie, which effectively shifted stories to tier 2 and tier 3 towns," says Sarkunam, who strongly believes that OTT, looked upon as a threat for the theatre business, is a second chance to filmmakers. "There are many films that got recognition post their digital release. Take, for instance, Pogumidam Vegu Thooramillai or Nandhan: despite strong content, they did not have a great run in theatres, but they won praise after they were released on OTT. So, for filmmakers, OTT platforms are a second chance. Digital dominance is inevitable. There was a time when 'Thiruttu VCD' sales were rampant, and people in the industry were voicing their concerns about this. But if someone wants to save money, who are we to ask them to watch films in theatres? Art is for people. They are the deciding authority."

Sarkunam says that although he is giving this social drama a thriller treatment, he has ensured it does not take an individual vs. society angle, as he does not believe in a single person's heroism. "I did treat Exam like an investigative thriller to make things interesting. But this is not a case of 'one person takes on the system.' I don't believe in an individual's heroism, especially since there is no reason a society shouldn't be outraged. Why shouldn't there be a collective expression of anger? Even in Vaagai Sooda Vaa, the teacher character imparts education to the downtrodden and becomes a messiah. But when he gets in danger, the villagers rally behind them and avenge the injustice meted out against them," he says, adding that the series will not indulge in such unrealistic approaches and will also have immersive personal stories of characters in it. "Abbas sir will be seen in a never-before-seen avatar in Exam. The series has effectively dispelled the chocolate boy image attributed to him. Aditi Balan and Dushara Vijayan, too, have interesting characterisations."

Sarkunam asserts that Exam will create an impact and will be an effective means of communication to bring attention to the flawed exam system. "There is a saying in Tamil, 'ara kaasu sambarichalum arasangathukitta sambarikkanum,' which exalts a government job over any other profession. Education and employment are the only means to empower people, and those in power aren't willing to play a fair game. If even education gets hijacked and the haves have their way over the hard-working middle class, it is totally disastrous. Exam will expose the cracks in the system."