‘Vadhuvu’ Web Series Review
Cast: Avika Gor, Ali Reza, Nandu, VS Roopa Laxmi, Mounika, Madhavi Prasad, Sridhar Reddy and others.
Producers: Shrikanth Mohta and Mahendra Soni
Writer - Director: Poluru Krishna
Cinematographer: Ram K Venkatesh
Editor: Anil Kumar
OTT Platform: Disney + Hotstar
Avika Gor is trying to make her mark both in films as well as on OTT platforms. She did a thriller drama named ‘Vadhuvu’ which is out on Disney + Hotstar. It is based on a Bengali series named ‘Indu’ and ‘Vadhuvu’ is directed by Poluru Krishna. Let us dive into the review straightaway to find out more about this series.
Story:
Indu’s (Avika Gor) marriage gets stopped once abruptly when her younger sister elopes with the groom. Severely affected by it, Indu and her family take a year before fixing on another match. She gets married to Anand (Nandu) but nothing is clean about that family as continuous efforts were made to stop the wedding which fails and Indu faces some mysterious and suspicious scenarios after entering Anand’s house. What is it all about? Why do Anand’s family act in such a suspicious manner? Why did her sister run away with the groom before? Who tried to stop Indu’s marriage? Why? All these questions and their answers form the rest of the series.
Analysis:
A lot of web series are arriving these days but only a few possesses good quality. No matter the genre, a series with proper storytelling and good performances are tough to find. ‘Vadhuvu’ is one series that grabbed the interest with the trailer and the basic premise gets you engaged instantly. Despite being a bit over dramatic, the first episode grabs your attention and the next episode is where all the characters are well established. It really keeps you invested and makes you want to know what happens next.
The dark tones and the setting play a major role in creating the required impact and the makers got it right. But things become too slow as the series progresses. It only picks up pace and gets gripping in the sixth episode. Things got dragged way too much in the middle episodes and the makers did not give a proper explanation on why a few characters behave in a certain manner. A few scenes were a bit unnecessary as well.
Also, there were no twists that shock you big time and wow moments are quite few. While the proceedings picks up pace towards the end, the cliffhanger towards the end makes people feel like a lot should be explained in the second season. The entire first season is used to set the foundation for the second part which may not be liked by everyone. Despite the good performances from the lead cast, interesting premise and a bunch of engrossing scenes, the series leaves a lot to be desired and makes us wait for a long time for the second season.
Performances:
Avika Gor looks beautiful onscreen and gets a strong role after a long time. Her action is quite convincing and she excels in some scenes. Ali Reza gets a lot of screen time and did well even though the dubbing voice did not suit his personality. Nandu is decent in his role though he overdoes with his expressions at times. He looked the part. There were a few who went overboard with their acting but the rest of the cast are fine.
Technicians:
Cinematography sets the right mood and creates a bit of unrest among the viewers at all times which is required for the movie. Ram K Mahesh did a very good job as he doesn’t try to be too creative. Sriram Maddury’s background score compliments the visuals and storytelling. He is successful in creating the required suspense factor. But some sounds are too repetitive throughout the series. The production values are decent and adequate. The editing should have been better while the dialogues were a bit over dramatic at times.
‘Vadhuvu’ has an interesting premise and the characters have a lot of mystery surrounding them. Poluru Krishna was successful on that front but the pace is a huge minus and we get bored despite having short episodes. Also, he left a bit too much for the second series which may frustrate a few. The climax fails to impress as it leaves many unanswered questions. On the whole, the director did an okay job.
Verdict: ‘Vadhuvu’: Only Good In Parts!