The ‘Vikram Vedha’ director duo, along with directors Bramma and Anuchran, talk about their upcoming investigative drama on Amazon Prime, how important cultural context is to any story, and
The ‘Vikram Vedha’ director duo, along with directors Bramma and Anuchran, talk about their upcoming investigative drama on Amazon Prime, how important cultural context is to any story, and
Pushkar and Gayatri are back.
five years later Vikram Vedha hit the screens and established them as filmmakers for nationwide viewing – Bollywood took note, which is why they are remaking their hit film in Hindi with Hrithik Roshan and Saif Ali Khan – Pati Wife’s team launched their web-series.
title sujal – swirl, the investigative drama follows a well-known template plot that has been the foundation of many successful shows globally; From Easttown’s Mare To true Detective, Set in a small fictional town in South India, hell breaks loose when a local girl goes missing, and the police struggle to find out who’s behind the kidnapping or murder as a bigger curse plays out. covers.
With a stellar ensemble cast along with Kathir, Aishwarya Rajesh, Sriya Reddy along with Radhakrishnan Parthiban, the eight-episode series may well be the calling card to the genre of Tamil cinema.
Although Pushkar-Gayatri produced the show, the duo – as in the case of many Hollywood projects – chose filmmakers Bramma ( Kuttaram Kadithali, Magalir Mattum) and follow ( kirumi) to direct the episode instead, which makes for an intriguing collaboration.
All set to premiere on Amazon Prime on June 17th, talks to the creative team of Hum suzali Ahead of release on what to expect from the play. Excerpts from an interview:
assembling a dream team
“writing process” suzali Started in 2018, and we started the first schedule in 2020… but then the lockdown got further delayed. To be honest, we have not worried too much about our relevance apart from a few fleeting moments,” says Pushkar lightly.
Pushkar and Gayatri
“And yes, we are still lazy writers,” smiles Gayatri, “though, now, we have already started thinking about how the second season might shape up.”
Considering that this is their first streaming venture, it remains to be wondered whether the first two films of the duo – oram po (2007) and VA: Quarter Cutting (2010) – Would have been better if OTT platforms were prevalent at that time.
Says Pushkar, “I think it was a bit high to expect audiences to come to theaters and watch experimental films like this. I still remember VA: Quarter Cutting There was a Diwali release; People came to the cinema hall with their families… and had to watch a movie about two men in search of alcohol! But yes, I think both would have worked better with a direct streaming release.”
What was the motive for Bramma and Anuchan to come on-board and work with the creators?
Bramma says she had no hesitation at all, “I didn’t think of it as a platform big or small for myself; I was clear it was an opportunity for me to learn a lot. While protecting my own individuality “It was the right association for me at this point in my career. The philosophy they (Pushkar-Gayatri) holds is close to my heart, and their filmmaking and writing are both in such an interesting place. It’s at the same time I have both mainstream and subtle.”
Anuchan continues, “I was a fan of his work even before I started my career as a filmmaker, and since my experience was limited to feature projects before that, working on web-series and lengthy storytelling It was exciting to learn about. ,
on coordination and cooperation
The four insist that it was necessary for them to be on the same page in terms of sensibility and beauty, thus making such an alliance possible.
Gayatri says, “We went to them (Bramma and Anu) based on their earlier works. It was not just their narratives, but how they deal with the characters and their emotions, world-building and their individual colours, that we wanted to add to the show. ,
Pushkar also says that he did not want the pitching of the series to be caught up in being too realistic or overly commercial. “His last two films – kirumi And Kuttaram Kadithali – There were larger-than-life sentiment dramas in which the setting felt real. that’s exactly what we wanted suzali, Where the drama is heightened, but with a lightness of touch and subtlety.”
The team of ‘Sujal’
How did the coordination between two different directors work out for their respective episodes in order to maintain the same melody?
“There was extensive pre-production and discussions where we worked out all the details — from the costumes to how the characters talk — and the writing set the terms,” Bramma explains.
Anuchran agrees, “It helped with the spontaneity of the tonal, as did having the same technician for all episodes. We had minimal breaks, but the technicians and artists had to work round the clock. Our shoots often overlapped, and it was with a little luck that our psyche mingled so wonderfully. ,
Pushkar recalls, “The schedules were brutal due to the dire circumstances with COVID. There was a time when Anu used to shoot till noon, then Bramma would pick up, Anu would follow… and so on. All in one day!”
rooting a story in its cultural context
With the plot set in a fictional city, such a story needs to be rooted in its cultural context, and Pushkar says a lot of work went into banging out that aspect.
“To bring context to the show, we did a lot of research. In fact, we traveled extensively and shot video footage to get it right. documenting it in every episode, and bringing an amalgamation of cultural elements and different customs to the fictional city where suzali is set.. that was the challenge. We also connect the main plot to the epic mythology that hangs over the story, from which we got our kick. ,
Pushkar says, “Bramma has extensive experience working with street plays and various NGOs, so he was invaluable in engaging and incorporating many sensitive subjects into our narrative with his approach.”
A scene from ‘Sujal’
They might have another blockbuster action extravaganza on their hands Vikram Vedha remake, but as one of the few husband-wife directed duo in the country (with a real-life story romance), is it ever too much to expect a straight love story from Pushkar-Gayatri?
Bramma quickly intervenes, “You know, we have this image of them as a romantic couple and totally envy them; running a family together, writing scripts and working on productions together… Somebody fight! We wonder how they manage it.”
Anucharan laughs, “All the romantic lines in the script come from his own life.. He has redefined the word romance.”
Gayatri smiles at the end and replies, “I don’t know; whenever I think of romance, I wonder what the conflict can be. If the couple has a fight, I go ‘that’s it. Grow up and sort it out’. So there’s no drama and the idea eventually gets boring.”
Pushkar and Gayatri on the sets of Hindi remake of ‘Vikram Vedha’
“But there’s a romance in it suzali, which is an important part of the story. There is also another layered, budding romance in the story, which we hope to explore in the coming seasons,” quipped Pushkar.
So does that mean this team is going to be together when suzali Coming back for the next seasons?
“Of course! We are very possessive about each other. Working with these people has been a dream; a labor of love if you will, to the point where we all care about this project fiercely and independently This is how Pushkar and Gayatri make you feel,” concluded Anuchan
Suzdal: The Vortex premieres June 17 on Amazon Prime