Suzhal 2 team interview: Back into the vortex

When Suzhal: The Vortex started streaming in 2022, it marked a dynamic shift in the Tamil web series landscapes. At a time when streaming platforms were struggling to capture regional sensibilities, Suzhal, with its rural festival background, small-town aesthetics, and a chilling crime to connect them all, finally cracked the winning recipe. Bramma G, who directed four episodes in the first season and is back for the second season, credits the success of Season 1 to its creators Pushkar and Gayathri. “The characters were designed exceptionally well; the rooted setting and the festival backdrop organically ties in with the conflicts in the story,” he says, while Kathir, who plays sub-inspector Sakkarai in the series, adds, “I’ve never done a character like Sakkarai before, a cop in a small town in which he was born and brought up. It gives him the liberty to personally engage with the individuals he is investigating, which gave me immense scope to perform as an actor.” Commenting on the binge-worthy nature of the series, Bramma says, "There was a hook at the end of every episode. With every aspect of the series, we were focused on making the audience intrigued enough to skip the intro and dive right in."

Aishwarya Rajesh, who plays Nandhini in the series, reveals that the psychological foundations of her character were the most appealing factor for her. Both the pivotal moment in the series and Nandhini’s character motivations hinge upon the traumatic incidents in her past, which remain in the hidden corners of her memories until they are shaken awake towards the end. “I was intrigued by how Nandhini’s trauma was intense to the point that it was hidden in her subconsciousness until it was forced out towards the end,” says Aishwarya. On her character’s relationship with Kathir’s Sakkarai, the actor opines, “She likes Sakkarai but a lot of doubts and fears stop her from expressing it. At one point, she says she struggles to build relationships with men because of what happened to her in the past, such was the trauma. It was a hard-hitting role.” Despite the emotional intensity of her role, the actor also had plenty of fun on the sets. “Throughout filming, I couldn’t help but tease Kathir about the fact that my character got a cool ‘hero intro’ sequence while his Sakkarai never got one,” laughs Aishwarya. Kathir adds, “They did shoot something like that for me but they cut it out.” Aishwarya drives home her point with a smile, “Not everybody gets a scene like that, with 700 junior artists, pyrotechnics and dynamic camera angles. I don’t think I’ll get a shot like that again.” However, the team acknowledges the fact that Sakkari is not a typical Tamil cinema police officer. Kathir elaborates that he initially struggled to strike the fine balance of playing a cop who is also a relatable boy next door. “I used to ask a lot of questions on set. It wasn’t until we filmed the scene where I had to hit Parthiban sir’s character that I understood the character. At the end of it, Sakkari gives a smile and arriving at the correct level of that expression helped me set the tone for that character,” says Kathir.

While the bond between Bramma, Aishwarya, and Kathir is evidently a result of their experience working together in the first season, Sarjun KM, the co-director of the series, is new to the world of Suzhal. “The beauty of the team is that they didn’t give me any pointers on how to approach the series. I loved the first season because it did not rely on its star power or extravagant production to sell the series. The story is the hero and ultimately that’s what interested me to take up the job,” says Sarjun. According to directors Bramma and Sarjun, a crucial element of the series was the high spirit of collaboration on sets. “Everyone from our cinematographer to assistant directors to production designers would constantly give us amazing inputs. While we were hunting for locations, we had fun trying to spot circular geometrical patterns to shoot our signature ‘Suzhal shot’,” reveals Sarjun. 

On what to expect from the upcoming season, director Bramma says, “While the first season was set in a hill station, the second season is set in a seaside town, against the backdrop of a new festival, a host of new characters, and a new crime.” Aishwarya jumps in to conclude, “But my character, who starts the story this time, is in prison now, and even though the story and setting are new, Nandhini also has to deal with the repercussions of her actions from the first season.” Suzhal: The Vortex Season 2 is all set to stream on Prime Video this Friday.