Brinda – Trisha’s debut web series on Sony Liv – with the right treatment and good cast raises above being just yet another suspense drama – the context deals with an important social issue writes RAJESHWARI KALYANAM
Trisha Krishnan plays serious, broody SI in the web series on Sony Liv titled after her role. She belongs to Gangapuram where as a child she survives the danger of being sacrificed to the village goddess but in the process her mother gets killed and her brother gets separated while she manages to escape in the back of a truck. And, thus begins this series with a gruesome incident that recreates several real life incidents when people are ready to sacrifice innocent lives in the name of faith.
While religion has been a major part of societal way of living for centuries now, with God playing the central role – time and again the Godmen have been enjoying excessive power and control in the name of God. And, the blind followers let them.
Brinda – is the story of the young girl who escapes death and is lucky enough to be brought up by a good natured police office – and she despite her nightmares and doubts ends up becoming a police officer. And, she wishes her brother did not survive – after all it is not necessary that he would have got as lucky as her – she feared the worst – and indeed her brother was not as lucky. In fact, he is under the impression that her sister died as he watches a young girl burnt alive and even witnesses his mother being killed. And, that doesn’t bode well for him.
Brinda as a police officer is dealing with the misogynistic boss in a police station full of men, and a teenager sister who hates her, and a murder which turns out to be a case off serial murders and massive killings.
The three main plus points of the 8-episode web series is the way it retains the rules of a suspense detective thriller genre rules – establishing convincing characters, establishing intrigue, establishing the suspects and weaving a screenplay that will make the audience click on the ‘Next Episode’ button with much anticipation each time. The film’s characters have a life of their own, a drama that runs parallel to the suspense that is waiting to unravel, and that makes it an interesting series to watch – which has other layers as well. And, the way the story makes an important commentary on the evils of the society as an integral part of the story.
With the right treatment Brinda has raised to be more than yet another suspense drama. The performances especially by Trisha and Ravindra Vijay add well to the debut directorial of Surya Manoj Vangala. Brinda is also Trisha Krishnan’s OTT debut and its safe to say she started with a bang.
Brinda is streaming on SonyLiv.
