Iru Dhuruvam 2, On SonyLIV, Is A Compelling Sequel That Could’ve Stayed Clear Of Cliches

Director: Arun Prakash

Cast: Nandaa, Prasanna, Abhirami Venkatachalam, Linga

Streaming on: SonyLIV

The last thing that a police officer wants is a serial killer giving out half-clues in his dying moments. The first season of Iru Dhuruvam detailed the murders of random people with one connection — a taxi, with the killer leaving behind clues in the form of Thirukkural (famous couplets written by Thiruvalluvar). Inspector Viktor (Nandha) joins the dots and is only a few steps away from nabbing the killer when a crime hits close to home and his wife is targeted. So with no other choice left, he finally encounters the enemy. And on the verge of his death, the killer, in a shocking reveal, admits to knowing the whereabouts of Viktor’s missing wife. Seconds later, he dies. But lots of questions remain. Did he have an accomplice? Will Viktor manage to find his wife?

This stellar cliffhanger gave filmmaker Arun Prakash (the first season was directed by M Kumaran) the leverage to create an interesting second season with a plot that could grow organically. Viktor, who has now left the force, tries to be a good single parent and spend quality time with his daughter. We have a new inspector named Tilak (Linga) who knows his job but hardly makes any effort. The station also handles fewer cases now, with most of them being petty theft. But on a random day, when on a patrol, Tilak and SI Kishore come across a suspicious white car. On investigation, they find the dead bodies of two policemen. That’s not all that they find. A Thirukkural is left behind. 

While the former season focused on investigating the murders of people who were relatively unknown to us, the second season is more personal, where the killer takes the lives of policemen who helped Viktor in the first season. This explicit motive adds an emotional touch to the second season. The season further stands out for a few neatly packed moments. Take the scene with the police officers searching for the white car’s owner, for instance. The cops believe that the person who committed the crime would have fled by then. But when they reach his house, the owner Lankeswaran (Prasanna), who seems to have been enjoying a good supper, casually opens the door. Lankeswaran escapes with an alibi, and the only suspect in the case walks out freely. As the murders continue, the pattern repeats – the owners of the car have either lost their car or sent it for service, which leaves the cops with little to no evidence for the most part. 

Having closely followed Viktor and his investigative skills from the first season, one expects him to protect as many victims as possible. However, Prakash writes Viktor as a flawed cop. He makes several bad decisions, resulting in multiple deaths. And before you know it, Viktor loses most of his confidants. He also places his instinct on a pedestal, often costing lives. 

Season 2 keeps the introduction of new characters short and crisp. When we are introduced to two new police officers who are a couple, we don’t get a detailed love story. Instead, we see their camaraderie through their ease of collaboration. But the same tautness cannot be found in the rest of the series. The makers could have avoided scenes of middling investigations and trivial fights among police officers. The egotistical tug-of-war between Viktor and Tilak becomes amateurish after a point. Even after having lost their fellow police officers, the two fight and point fingers in front of their superiors. Aren’t they running out of time to be indulging in such immaturity?

On the other hand, the scenes between Viktor and Lankeswaran and their fiery exchanges in the investigation room are some of the better crafted ones. The mind games played by Lankeswaran and the way people fall for it are brilliantly executed. Prasanna is menacing as Lankeswaran, a psychologist and a motivational speaker, who is well on his way to becoming a cult leader. It is his performance that keeps you hooked through the show. And when the case is all done and dusted, the makers give us yet another open ending, suggesting that Iru Dhuruvam might be the first of many Tamil web series to go on for multiple seasons.