Undeniably, One Of The Finest Web Series In Tamil OTT Space

Vadhandhi - Undeniably, one of the finest web series in Tamil OTT space.

SJ Suryah is a creator who dons many hats, that of a director, actor, screenwriter, producer and even music director. Now, he has made his digital debut with Amazon Prime's new show 'Vadhandhi', directed by his former associate Andrew Louis. The eight-episode limited series has an ensemble cast including SJ Suryah, Vivek Prasanna, and Nasser. Let's see whether the show is good.

Vadhandhi revolves around SI Vivek's (SJ Suryah) investigation regarding the murder of Velonie (Sanjana), a beautiful 18-year-old girl. Vivek and SI Ramar (Vivek Prasanna) are left with no potential leads other than gossip about her. This show follows a non-linear narrative - one is the investigation after the girl's death and the other is the girl's past before the murder. Velonie, who shares a weak bond with her mother Ruby (Laila), is engaged to Vignesh (Kumaran Thangarajan) though she isn't interested. She is secretive to her mother, fiance, and friends but shares things about her life with KI Sebastian, a well-wisher and a father figure. Was Vivek able to solve the case amid all the lies and gossip about Velonie is Vadhandhi all about.

The success of Vadhandhi relies on the simple and realistic portrayal of a police investigation. The case lacks clues and is filled with dead ends. The title is justified as the police only had stories about the girl to solve the case. This aspect gives a Rashomon-esque effect to the show and keeps the audience engaged to give us a convincing finale. The show is not only good but it also carries a sensitive message.

The overall casting is great. SJ Suryah as a cop obsessed with a case delivers a brilliant performance yet again. Sanjana has given a noteworthy debut playing the role of the victim. Vivek Prasanna, who plays a carefree, foodie police officer, has done a good job. Nasser, Laila, Hareesh Peradi, Smruthi Venkat, and other supporting characters showcased a neat performance. Also, the character sketch of the cops in the show is close to reality. We see a smart and practical cop who empathizes with the victim as the protagonist rather than a superficial and intellectual one. 

Meanwhile, Vadhandhi has its share of shortcomings. Despite the fact that the show unravels stunning twists at the right time, many of the subplots and reveals just serve as fillers in the main story. The makers could have easily chopped off two episodes and made it crispier. Regardless of these flaws, the creator Andrew Louis presented a gripping series with his strong direction. The locations were great for the story and the making was good. The Kanyakumari Tamil dialect was a bit hard for the watchers to understand.

Simon King's title track and background score were pulsating. Saravanan Ramasamy's cinematography depicts the beauty of the landscape and at the same time, it showcases the intensity of the crime. The editor Richard Kevin has done a neat job. Famous director duo Pushkar & Gayatri produced this web series under the banner Wallwatcher Films. They made sure the show's production value is great. Overall, Vadhandhi is a binge worthy whodunit thriller with a good social message.

Verdict: Go for this terrific show that has some intelligent writing and making.