Summer is in all its glory is almost every state of India right now. It is especially brutal in Chennai, where temperatures are soaring with each passing day. Which is why stepping out of the house is restricted to only when it is absolutely necessary to.
I really miss my watching films in the theatre along with my girlfriends. An afternoon show, either preceded by lunch or followed by Tea and lots of gossips used to be our usual routine. Those plans are kept on hold till summer turns less fierce.
When a friend from our group excitedly suggested that we watch Thiravam we groaned, assuming it to be the latest film we would miss. Till she told us that Thiravam is a Web Series on ZEE5. This very friend was the one who introduced me to ZEE5 Tamil a while ago. Thanks to the helpful subtitles the films and web series come with I enjoy her recommendations whenever I can.
The plot of Thiravam intrigued me, but when she told me that it starred well-known actor Prasanna in the lead role I was sure I wanted to watch it.
Thiravam: A small-time scientist claims to have invented herbal fuel, igniting the fury of the petroleum industry and oil-rich countries. .What is impressive is how Prasanna has got into the skin of the character he plays, Ravi Prasakam (RP), who is almost twice the age Prasanna possibly is.
Auto Shankar: Based on a true story of an auto driver Gowri Shankar, a serial killer who came to be known and feared as Auto Shankar. He kept Chennai city, then known as Madras, gripped in fear between 1985-1995, kidnapping teenage girls, murdering and looting people. Sarath Appani as Auto Shankar sends chills down your spine with his electric performance.
Kallachiripu: A young couple. An arranged marriage. An accidental murder. All come together to set off a series of events that show the ugly side of human beings and relationships. Amrutha Srinivasan excels as the ruthless and hot-tempered wife without remorse.
America Mappillai: How far would a man go to avoid marriage? Really far, in America Mappillai at least. The character of Ganesh, played by Arjun Chidambaram claims to be gay to his family, to avoid marriage to a girl suggested by them. Just when you think he has convinced his family and you, there is a twist in the tale.
Alarm: A police inspector has just 12 hours to save a kidnapped girl. As he looks for her around the city he cracks down on a prostitution ring. Blending investigative thriller with the fantasy genre, the show is a fresh and brave attempt at creating a one-of-a-kind Tamil thriller series.
4 Reasons why I recommend these 5 Web Series:
Bold Subjects: Novel and refreshing stories. Such a change from the run of the mill plots.
Script: The script for each of them is gripping and keeps you glued to the screen.
The performances: Except for Prasanna, whose performance was outstanding in Thiravam, I honestly did not know any of the other actors but they left me impressed with superlative performances. Thus, making me look forward to ZEE5 to introduce me to more promising new talents in Tamil.
The short and crisp duration: Time is short. Hence, I like my web series binge to be short too. With ZEE5 Tamil series, that is not a problem as the runtime and number of episodes is just the right duration. Also, thanks to this shorter timeline, stories are to the point.
So, this is how I am spending my free time with ZEE5. What about you?
Oho!! I am hooked to various web series on Amazon Prime. These Tamil series you mention are new to me but certainly pique my interest. Especially the American Mapillai!Going to check it out!
I totally agree with you the web series these are giving the movies a run. I too have got addicted to them and since I do understand Tamil, I surely am checking the ones you recommended on ZEE5 dear.
Love the storylines. I wonder if they are available in amazon prime. Don’t think they are on Netflix. I love web series and short films. Watched a lot of them on YouTube as well.