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Vadhandi: The Fable of Velonie was quite successful when it was released in 2022, and four years later, director Andrew Louis is back with season two of the series titled Vadhandhi: The Mystery of Mani. And this time around, it is director-actor Sasikumar who steps into the role of a police sub-inspector in a story set in rural Madurai. It’s the protagonist who narrates the story of Mani as the series progresses, and, hauntingly, Raaza starts by saying he doesn’t know whether to feel proud to be a policeman or to see it as a curse.
When SI Moosa Raaza (Sasikumar) is transferred to the Padambathur police station near Madurai as sub-inspector in 2025, he views it as nothing more than a punishment posting. He shifts to the small town without his wife (Aparna Das), hoping to find a nice house and settle in before she joins him. As he begins finding his feet in the new surroundings, a high-profile event outside Madurai dominates the headlines. A Union Minister has arrived to inaugurate an eight-lane highway project, but the ceremony takes an unexpected turn when workers uncover a human skeleton during the bhoomi puja. The shocking discovery quickly snowballs into a political controversy, with the Central government accusing the State government of attempting to sabotage the ambitious infrastructure project.
A police investigation is immediately ordered into the skeletal remains, and this soon becomes a media spectacle. As the Madurai incident is debated and dissected by everyone from YouTubers and influencers to mainstream media, the investigation comes under the supervision of SP Rathika Nair (Anagha Maruthora), who assigns it to Raaza. The SI is hesitant to accept the job as he feels he’ll be thrown under the bus if things go wrong, but with Nair’s assurance that she would stand by him, he decides to take the plunge.
As Raaza begins digging into the homicide case, he realises he can’t solve the mystery alone and turns to his trusted friend and colleague, Ramar (Vivek Prasanna), for support. The initial investigation reveals that there are, in fact, two skeletal remains, and the case takes them to some towns around Padambathur. Raaza discovers that Modakkathan Mani (Yashwanth), a known jallikattu champion who is now in prison, is a key person in this case. Why is Mani in jail? How is he involved in this homicide? What is Mani’s story? What initially appears to be a straightforward murder investigation soon spirals into a complex web of secrets, political pressure and buried truths, testing the duo’s skills, patience and determination to uncover the truth.
The story of Mani unfolds over eight episodes, with each episode peeling back another layer of the mystery and bringing the investigation closer to the truth. Director Andrew Louis patiently sets up the story in the first few episodes, introducing a host of characters, their motivations and the socio-political landscape that surrounds the case. The pacing for the first few episodes is brisk, and the narrative lays a strong foundation for the investigation. However, it’s in the middle of the series that the story becomes unnecessarily convoluted, with additional subplots and detours that dilute the strong momentum that was built in the opening episodes. And unfortunately, the storyline weakens drastically before finding its foothold in the last few episodes.
There are numerous elements in the series which have been included to make Vadandhi 2 reflect the realities and complexities of present-day society. For instance, the concept of how important social media is today and the influence it wields on society and even the law is touched upon, as is the aspect of religion. Raaza’s identity as a Muslim police officer is woven into the narrative, adding another layer to his character and also highlighting the challenges he faces as a result. The SI’s own personal struggles in his married life add another layer of humanity to a cop who’s already grappling with the cruelty of the world and the dark side of human nature. These themes, along with some others, enrich the storytelling, giving the series greater depth and relevance.
Sasikumar as Moosa Raaza is a delight to watch on screen as the seasoned actor embraces the role with natural ease. The chemistry between him and Vivek Prasanna (who reprises his role from Vadhandhi series one) is one of Vadhandhi 2’s biggest strengths as their easy camaraderie and understated humour provide moments of warmth in the crime series. Yashwanth, Aparna Das and Anagha Maruthora also leave a strong impression, delivering assured performances.
Backed by Pushkar and Gayatri, the creative producers, Vadhandhi: The Mystery of Mani Review dropped on Prime Video on August 7. The Sasikumar-starrer succeeds in delivering a somewhat engaging crime thriller, marred by a convoluted middle act.
