Exclusive! Sriya Reddy: It was difficult to maintain the complexities my character underwent in Suzhal

The performance of actors is one of the prime attractions of the Tamil series Suzhal - The Vortex which was dropped on Amazon Prime Video last Friday. Sriya Reddy's role of a tough cop who goes through varied emotions and different character arcs has been garnering unanimous positive response ever since the project was released.

In an exclusive chat with OTTplay, the actress opens up about her experiences working in the project, collaborating with a talented bunch of co-stars, intelligent filmmakers and the myriad challenges she faced while essaying a multi-dimensional character. 

The series has been receiving so much love from the audience as soon as it was released on the OTT platform. What's your current state of mind?

Well, I'm ecstatic. I'm overwhelmed with people giving a thumbs-up to Suzhal. I think this is one of those rare instances where reviews are 99.9 percent positive. You will come across a negative review or a tweet on social media only if you search for it for a long time.  

What was your first reaction when you were approached to play a cop in the series?

I wasn't surprised when I was offered the role of a tough cop. Many filmmakers say they tend to think of me when they have a strong woman character in their mind. My role this time is not just a powerful character - it has a soft side - the varied human emotions have been explored. The anxiety of a mother and her concerns in terms of protecting her child are interestingly depicted.  

What according to you was the challenging part with regard to pulling off your character after listening to the narration?

Initially, I thought mine was quite a streamlined character. But as the narration progressed, I realized it isn't a one-sided tough cop. The character arcs kept changing after every episode. It was difficult to go through a lot of emotions and complexities that the role underwent. I could feel that playing the character took every ounce out of me.  

Apart from the details of the character which were explained to you, what were your inputs like?

I am always forthcoming when it comes to discussions on character development. But this time I decided to take a backseat as I felt there were four people, including two directors and writers/producers who knew what they were doing. I felt I should follow what they wanted me to do.

The series has a host of talented actors who have proved their mettle long ago. How was the give and take process between all of you?

It was a great atmosphere to work with. Every actor had fabulous characters to play. Aishwarya is a good actor and she has performed well. Parthiban sir is a legend who has perhaps done more films than all of us put together. It was interesting to watch others, including the newbies, perform.  

With two producers-cum-writers Pushkar and Gayatri, and two directors Bramma and Anucharan collaborating for the first time, how was the creative discussions on set like?

Films of Pushkar-Gayatri are a little different in terms of making and style; it stands out from the rest. It was interesting to notice them coming up with suggestions that aren't mainstream. Similarly, Bramma is an intelligent director; he knows what he is doing. On the other hand, Anucharan is one of the funniest persons I have ever known. He is an editor, and hence, what exactly he wants from a scene. I would say the credit for the success of the series goes to the four of them.