Vilangu is a web series directed as well as crafted by Prashant Pandiyaraj. Bemal and Ineya will play the lead roles, while Bala Sarabanan, Munisikant, RNR Manohar and Reshma Pasupulasi will appear in supporting roles. They are produced by P Madan under the name Escape Artists Motion Pictures. The serial is currently airing on the Zee 5 OTT platform.
Especially when it comes to the web series format, Murder Mystery is the preferred choice for streamers. They give creators freedom over details such as the crime, the motives, the psyche of those involved, and the investigative process. You don’t have to worry about being violent or graphic. Despite having a movie-like plot, that’s probably why Vilangu was turned into a web series. Despite being one of the best in producing witty crime thrillers in India, the Tamil industry still makes little headway in the web series space. The 7-episode series Vilangu is worth starting.
The plot of Vilangu Web Series
The serial revolves around the Vembur Police Station on the outskirts of Trichy. Bemal takes on the role of Faridi, a post attendant on leave to give birth to his wife. However, a fateful phone call when a mutilated body is found changes everything. A box of insects was open, and the police at Wembour station would dispose of it before the outside world noticed.
The series begins slowly, with the first 41-minute episode showing the police station, the inmates and their work. The engagement starts at 35 minutes, and the episode ends on a cliffhanger before we even get to it—an impressive start to an intriguing mystery thriller. Unfortunately, the same high percentage is not maintained everywhere.
Character Performance of Vilangu
Vemal has given us a mix of critically acclaimed and commercial hits like Basanga, Waagai Chuda Vaa, Kedi Billa Gilladi Ranga, Kalavani and many more. His image arch, a human policeman, will be a feather in his cap. Director Prasanth didn’t have an excellent performance with Bruce Lee, but he showed us what he’s capable of here. His confidence in his script translated well on screen and is reflected in the actors’ performance and music.
Paridhi’s characterization itself is pretty interesting. He doesn’t have great superpowers, but he’s more like a neighbour turned police officer. He is recognizable in all of our lives. In contrast to Paridhi, the roles performed by Bala Saravanan, Ineya, and the adversary are beautifully written. Many fresh faces, particularly personnel of the police headquarters, have also completed a very natural task. That doesn’t mean the writing is flawless. The series has a large number of problems of a minor nature.
Minor Issues of Villangu
One of the problems is that police officers are repeatedly shown to torture all third-degree accused, even if they haven’t broken any laws. If the police have the slightest doubt about a person, their only way of investigation seems to be to beat them. And this happens multiple times in the series, which feels repetitive.
My Reflections on Vilangu
Overall, Vilangu is a compelling film because it skillfully underplays its shocks and avoids relying on showy, implausible revelations that centre on a hero policeman. We don’t know who the cat is or who the mouse is until the very conclusion of this game of cat and mouse. Well done.
The writing in Vilangu is quite intelligent and makes for a good whodunit mystery. Vilangu is a compelling series worth your time thanks to a potent adversary, surprising turns, and an in-form Bala Saravanan supporting Vemal in front of the camera. It also serves as a fitting return for the extraordinarily gifted Vemal.
