Suzhal - The Vortex (2022) s01e05 Episode Script

Please answer me, dear boy.
Did you see anything?
Adhisayam!
Ma'am?
Ma'am?
Please be gentle.
The leader is here.
Nila!
Attender! He's her father.
Let him through.
Adhisayam!
How could you desert me?
Ma'am, the DSP is on the line.
-Regina?
-Yes, sir?
I just heard what happened.
They said it was suicide.
Yes, sir. It was my son.
-I'm very sorry.
-I'll update you with the case details.
-Let me know if you need any help.
-Okay, sir.
Sakkarai?
She's in denial
over her son's suicide.
The truth will eventually hit her.
She won't be able to bear it.
Take care of her.
Maybe that's why the suicide
If she knew she was pregnant,
why not bloody die by herself?
Why take my son--
Did she get pregnant herself?
Your son's behind for it.
She can't just say whatever!
Quiet, dear!
Sir! What is this, ma'am?
It took so much work to pry them apart.
They were clinging together so tight.
Like nail and flesh.
-You said it was suicide.
-What else?
Their throats were slit
like some common fowl.
They were covered by weeds,
so the marks weren't visible.
He was slashed. A deep incision
on the girl's neck with the same knife.
Severe blood loss. Holding each other
embrace, they died.
No water in the lungs.
Therefore, someone pushed them
off the cliff after they died.
So, I think
there must've been a struggle.
In that case, there must be
DNA traces of the killer.
'Cause they were in the water,
no foreign DNA was found.
The time of death was 72 hours ago.
That's when they went missing.
The bodies are neither swollen
or decomposed.
That's because of chemicals
in the quarry water.
I'll send the boy's DNA sample to Chennai
for testing right away.
We can get the result in two days.
No
How am I going to tell their parents
in detail about this?
When the victims are young,
our jobs become harder.
No matter how hard,
it's better to tell them straight.
It isn't what we thought.
It wasn't suicide.
Someone murdered them.
Regina
Sir.
Vadivelu.
If you need any help or funds,
don't hesitate to ask.
I don't want anything, sir.
I won't be needing this bike anymore.
-Even this
-Let's go. I'll take care of this.
Trilok Vadde! Trilok!
Trilok Vadde!
Sir, the Bhopal gas tragedy
claimed 4,000 lives.
Do you know why?
It was rust.
Unbelievable, right?
But it was rust.
Is that what you say at a funeral?
Poor kids, indeed.
But in the Bhopal gas tragedy,
it was through the rusty hole,
that the poison gas leaked.
The maintenance was shoddy.
And it killed 4,000 people.
I need to check the maintenance
in your factory.
Those were perfect.
-The workers did it in a fit of rage.
-What?
The workers caused the fire?
Come on, sir! If they did that,
they'd lose their jobs.
Sir, sir.
Roll down, please.
Sir, please.
Sir.
If I were to investigate
the fire accident at your factory,
I'd check your electrical wiring.
If there would be any faults,
you wouldn't get any insurance payments.
You're aware of that, right?
He certainly seems to know.
-Ma'am is not herself. Please talk to her.
-What do you want me to do?
We have to bear our loss.
But, for that
Sakkarai, I need to
go to Shanmugam's house.
Why go there now?
Are you coming,
or do I go by myself?
Slow down, man.
If your mom knows I let you
drive the jeep, I'll be canned.
Like you're a big shot officer
who'll get canned.
-Stop the jeep.
-Sakkarai.
Hold on. Any issue, I'll play up
our brotherhood, and calm her down.
What-hood?
If we put on a show of being as close
as brothers, mom will be done for.
"If we put on a show of being as close
as brothers, mom will be done for."
If I play this to her,
-you're done for.
-What the hell, bro?
-What have you done?
-I'm a cop, kiddo.
-Please don't!
-You dare try to rob a cop?
Sakkarai!
I'm sorry.
-Sorry, ma'am.
-And you taught him to drive a jeep!
Mr. Vadde is really a good man, Guna.
The fact that he came here first
Look at his son, though!
Don't be upset, Devi.
She has gone to God.
God takes the ones
He loves the most too soon.
-That's why Nila--
-Is God a boogeyman?
If he takes my child from me,
what am I to do?
That man raised her all by himself.
What will he do?
Brother! The priest is here.
Nandini, Nandini.
-What is it?
-It's just that, in times like this--
You're afraid I'll have
a nervous breakdown.
I stopped having those
when I left this place.
But now you're back, right?
Shanmugam! First, listen to me.
Don't get mad.
With the hands of our own dear ancestors,
the soil was brought down
from Melmalayanur
and planted here as Goddess Angalamman.
Don't forget that.
What are you saying?
Sakkarai, what are you doing here?
He's with me.
I need to speak to Shanmugam.
What about? Tell me first.
There's nothing to tell.
Nila dying during Mayana Kollai
is a boon, isn't it?
She's done a good deed.
Her ashes must be offered up, right?
-What?
-Her ashes must be offered up, right?
Stop it, Dad. Let him go!
Listen to me, Dad.
Back off!
Because you're a non-believer,
your daughter has been snatched early.
Come inside, Dad.
Answer me, Shanmugam.
You can't just walk away.
This isn't just your private business.
For your benefit,
you destroy the town's faith.
Why did you come here
and say all this?
Sakkarai, don't just stand there. Arrest
him for creating a ruckus at a funeral.
Ma'am, this isn't police business.
It is faith.
"Faith"? You'll distribute
a girl's ashes as a holy offering?
You expect her father
to watch it?
Ma'am, you wouldn't understand.
-This is virgin girl's corpse.
-Hey!
Beat it. Or I'll haul you to the station
and slap a non-bailable case on you.
What do you say, Guna?
Go. I'll come. Like Mayana Kollai
would happen without me.
Don't skip this
like you did the flag hoisting.
I'll come. Just leave now.
Go on everyone.
Come along, brother. I'll be there.
Come. Let's go.
Shanmugam, I need to talk to you alone.
You're going to the ceremonial raid?
Our family deity. My brother doesn't
believe. I've been going for 20 years.
But, must you go even today?
-Are you so afraid of the priest?
-Not that.
Our family swore an oath to the Goddess.
Isn't our duty to keep it?
-"Duty"?
-Hey, Sakkarai!
Pushparaj?
What are you doing here?
Water, sir.
Water.
She played kho-kho, didn't she?
Even Adhisayam loved sports.
Everyone says…
I raised her all by myself.
But, in reality…
she was the one who raised me.
She cared for me as if I were a child.
Same with Adhisayam.
Ours was a love marriage.
We had walked out of our homes.
So many problems.
But after he was born…
his baby face…
made us forget all our troubles.
So, we named him Adhisayam.
When I heard she left me and eloped
-I was broken.
-When I heard, he committed suicide
I was angry.
But, to know they were murdered
I'm gonna find who did it…
and make them pay
Our children wished
to live their lives together.
But, that didn't happen.
At least let them be together in death.
Shall I check with my family?
-How does Vadivelu feel about this?
-I don't know.
I did not ask.
You ask your family.
What is it, Dad?
She asks if we conduct the last rites
of Nila and Adhisayam together.
They died in each other's arms.
We can go ahead with it.
She cannot be quenched.
The matriarch cannot be quenched.
She will not be quenched
with fowls and goats.
She is thirsty
for a young one's blood!
Whatever she asks,
we need to agree.
Bring her more! Bring her more!
Get him out of here.
Bring her human sacrifice!
Bring her human sacrifice!
Sundaram! For the next three days
until the festival is over,
-let someone guard the place.
-OK.
Or else, they'll scour for bones.
Our men will also take turns guarding.
During Mayana Kollai,
wastrels roam around cemeteries.
Pushparaj! Stop.
Pushparaj
Pushparaj!
Did we scare you, dear boy?
Sundaram!
I was following Pushparaj, the tutor.
He got away on a red bike.
License plate TN-43 W-8956.
Alert every check-post and station.
Send a team to his coaching center.
We'll track him down in an hour! Got it?
Don't tell Regina ma'am about this.
Okay.
Isn't this Nila's phone?
I gave it to her for her birthday.
Do you know the password?
-Is it her birth date?
-I tried that.
It didn't unlock.
What if it's Adhisayam's birthday?
February 14. Try it.
I've called our tech person.
He'll be here in an hour.
I thought if you knew,
we could unlock it sooner.
What is it, Sundaram?
Like a monkey picking lice on its infant,
we've combed the town thoroughly.
We've not found him or his bike.
How can that be?
He can't vanish into thin air.
Sent his photo
to the neighboring stations?
Yes, sir.
I'm also monitoring the CCTV cameras.
Ansari went to the coaching center.
-I'll update you.
-Hurry.
Hey!
-How?
-My father's birthday.
December 19th.
She erased all her call records.
You said Nila is quite reserved
and isn't all that active on social media.
Facebook, Twitter, Instagram.
She even has a profile on TikTok.
What's this?
What happened to Ammani?
She's listed in a Missing Girls group.
Ammani? I've heard that name before.
Does she have a friend with that name?
No, she doesn't.
Malar's father!
The councilor mentioned her.
Even though it happened 25 years ago…
I remember it
as if it were only yesterday.
The factory was ready,
and it was inauguration day.
A group from neighboring town
was here for construction.
Mukesh Vadde offered them
clothes as well as jobs in the factory.
If our folks come by some cash,
then it's revelry all round, right?
That night, the men went out for booze.
Next morning,
a girl was missing from their house.
Her name was Ammani.
She was around 15 or 16.
-And then?
-What else?
The whole town with the police
looked for her but never found her.
I didn't know it'd turn out like this!
It's okay, Malar.
Tell me what happened.
After Ammani went missing,
Mayana Kollai became a grand festival.
Why? Did that girl die?
No. But, ever since Nila heard about it,
she became obsessed
with finding out more about the girl.
That's why there's a Facebook group?
She never even talked to her classmates.
But, to learn about Ammani,
she'd talk to just about anyone.
She asked me to go with her
to meet the priest. But, I refused.
Sir, are any of those men
working at the factory now?
Even as wage workers, wouldn't
they be upset if their girl went missing?
They cursed the town and the factory,
and then cleared out of this place.
Was Malar able to identify
the members in that FB group?
The group has only
about five to six likes.
Among them, are Malar and Adhisayam.
And a private account
under the name of Doktar Devil.
Doktar Devil?
I'll have the account checked.
After Malar told me all this…
she asked not to tell her father
about her social media presence.
Why?
He claims social media
creates only trouble for girls.
Maybe that's why Nila
Just a minute.
-Tell me.
-The guy's still missing.
We searched his house,
there's nothing suspicious.
-But
-But?
He's single. He stays here by himself.
There's a bra under his pillow.
How's that not a lead?
Put the bra in the evidence bag.
I'm coming.
Ask around about Pushparaj's family.
-You might get a clue to his whereabouts.
-Okay, sir.
Men like him stash away women's garments,
just to get a sniff of them.
Psychopathic freaks!
Sambaloor Constable Neelakandan
reporting to the sub inspector.
I'm the sub inspector of Sambaloor.
The alerted bike is parked at the entrance
of the Mayana Kollai festival.
-Send that exact location. I'm on my way.
-Okay, sir.
DAY 6: MAYANA KOLLAI
THE CEREMONIAL RAID
Offering one's favorite foods
as a feast for the Goddess
and sharing it
with the entire town on this occasion.
Wait, Sakkarai.
Do you not hear me? Sakkarai!
Are you okay, ma'am?
See you later, mom!
-Sir! Here it is.
-Good job.
Nandini, stay here.
Call me if Pushparaj comes for his bike.
-Okay?
-Okay.
You stay with her.
Okay, sir.
Private folder.
"Poochi" is the password.
What the hell is this?
Why did you do this, Selvi?
Guna is good man, right? Is there
a problem between you two?
Then why this?
Don't ask me why.
Somehow, we ended up
having an affair. That's it.
I don't care about all this.
Do as you please. But how did
these pictures end up on Nila's phone?
Is this why
you killed Nila and Adhisayam?
Sir
The only wrong I did
was to be with Selvi.
But murder
The day I panicked
when I saw you at the market…
-I was there with Selvi, then.
-You stop it.
Selvi, you tell me.
When he came to visit me at home,
Nila saw us together.
She took pictures
through the window.
She never mentioned anything to me.
But she got together with that boy
and threatened me.
Only after Nila went missing…
did he tell me about this.
I was shocked Nila would do such a thing.
Of all people you were shocked, aunty?
Sir, we did have an affair.
She blackmailed me to pay two lakh rupees,
or she would go public
with the affair.
This is a tiny town.
Everyone knows everyone.
And I thought I knew everything
about everyone.
But, Guna's wife Selvi
and some random tutor shit!
Never mind that.
I thought these kids were naive,
but they tried to blackmail people.
What a chasm between
how they look and what they do!
All right.
Your phone has a torch, right?
-Take it out.
-Why?
Just take it out.
Place it here.
Does this shadow look rectangular?
And this?
It's round.
So, is this boombox rectangle
or round in shape?
At the same time, the same object
has two dimensions.
So, a person can have two dimensions
What did they need
the two lakh rupees for?
Someone's curse
Someone vanishes
I'm sorry.
We don't have a choice.
We need this money.
I've left the phone
under a flower pot in my backyard.
Password is "Poochi."
It's in a private folder.
There are no other copies.