BOTTOM LINE
Twisted Investigative Thriller Roaming in Circles
PLATFORM
Amazon Prime Video
RUNTIME
5 Hours (8 Episodes)
What Is the Show About?
A foundation-laying ceremony for a highway project in Madurai unearths a skeleton, sparking a blame game among multiple political parties. With mounting pressure on the police to act, SP Rathika appoints officer Moosa Raaza to investigate the murder. All clues point to a youngster, Mani. While a verdict is pronounced soon and the case is considered closed, Raaza believes Mani has been framed and decides to re-examine the crime.
Performances
There are no two ways about Sasikumar’s acting potential. He is a capable performer, but with limitations. The show, to an extent, exposes this, despite his sincerity. One wishes Anagha, as Rathika, had a lot more to do with the investigation than simply passing on updates from her superiors to the cops. Vivek Prasanna reprises his role from the earlier season with flair. Aparna Das is only asked to play a trophy wife. Yashwanth and Revathy Sarma fare alright in meaty roles.
Analysis
Vadhandhi 2 has all the makings of a typical Pushkar and Gayathri-backed product. They are creative producers for the series helmed by Andrew Louis. The case is set in a small town full of secrets. A skeleton literally tumbles out of the closet to kickstart the investigation. A doggedly earnest cop finds his way into the case by overcoming several systemic loopholes and practical hurdles. Right when he thinks he has the answers and the culprit is in the bag, it feels too good to be true. The skeleton conceals a deeper rot.
The slow-burn set-up and deceptively layered narration are intriguing to begin with. There is a twin murder, with the accused man’s sister and former lover emerging as the victims. The show is about the grit of a cop who is not merely looking to solve the case and refuses to settle for the easy way out. A large part of the show is about Raaza repeatedly realising he has been proven wrong, revisiting the forensics department and looking at the case afresh to the point of exhaustion.
The long-format storytelling provides space to dig deep into the characters’ identities. The investigating officer, Raaza, has a pregnant wife, Sumaya, but he is too obsessed with the case to care about the soon-to-arrive baby. Even when Raaza finally becomes a father to a baby girl, and the case remains unsolved, he sits grimly and tells his superior, ‘This case for me is all about trust. If that is shaken, I am unsure whether I can trust anyone fully ever again.’
Uncovering complex social issues in a mainstream investigative thriller format with atmospheric, grounded storytelling has always been Pushkar and Gayathri’s pet formula for OTT. Vadhandhi 2, even by their own standards, feels needlessly complicated. Or, to put it differently, the formula has lost its sheen. By delaying the inevitable frequently, the show takes the viewer’s patience for granted.
Apart from a couple of twists, the investigation itself lacks spunk. The lead characters and their colleagues, at least the good people within the system, are woven from the same cloth. There are almost no rough edges among the investigating crew, which frankly feels too vanilla for a show that demands nearly six hours of your time. Their personal conflicts are different, but none exciting enough to make the viewing experience crunchier.
The supposedly groundbreaking twist is preserved safely for the ending, though the show does not allow the issue to simmer effectively. Its approach to the revelation lacks sincerity and is conservative to some extent. Vadhandhi 2, from a technical standpoint, has a polished exterior, but struggles to justify its existence on many counts. It lacks compelling characters, lacks particularly exciting performances and is weighed down by an ambiguous screenplay.
Vadhandhi 2 wants to be a layered, unconventional investigative thriller tackling a social stigma, but succeeds only partially. It forgets to offer a crucial ingredient of a worthy viewing experience: a sense of excitement and urgency. It is too indifferent for its own good.
Music and Other Departments?
While the show’s writing and the genre itself do not offer vast scope for a composer to make a mark, Simon K King tries to add a mysterious, haunting texture to the setting with a decent score. Cinematographer Saravanan Ramasamy succeeds in offering an inward gaze into Madurai, and the frames do look stylish. The initial episodes, till the third, enjoy good momentum, but the narrative gets too cyclical, desperate to impress the viewer with its layers and twists. The production standards do not leave much room for complaint.
Highlights?
* Initial episodes (1-3)
* Tolerable for the most part, despite the slip-ups
* Technically impressive
Drawbacks?
* Gets needlessly complicated
* Does not address its core issue convincingly
* Lacks compelling characters and vigour in storytelling
Did I Enjoy It?
I found it tolerable for a thriller, but it could have been a lot more.
Will You Recommend It?
Thriller junkies may not mind it. Do not set the bar too high, though.
Vadhandhi 2 Web Series Reviewed by M9 News
