''Ayali'' is a 2023 Indian

Tamil-language Tamil (, , , also written as ''Tamizhil'' according to linguistic pronunciation) is a Dravidian language natively spoken by the Tamil people of South Asia. It is one of the longest-surviving classical languages in the world,. "Tamil is one ...

streaming television Streaming television is the digital distribution of television content, such as films and television series, streamed over the Internet. Standing in contrast to dedicated terrestrial television delivered by over-the-air aerial systems, cable t ...

series written and directed by Muthukumar for

ZEE5 ZEE5 or Z5 is an Indian subscription video on demand and over-the-top streaming service, owned by Zee Entertainment Enterprises. It was launched in India on 14 February 2018 with content in 12 languages. The ZEE5 mobile app is available on We ...

which focuses on the patriarchal aspects of Tamil society and Indian society in general. The principal characters of the series include Abi Nakshatra,

Anumol Anumol is an Indian actress, predominantly acting in Malayalam and Tamil films. She appeared in Malayalam films such as '' Chayilyam'' (2014), '' Ivan Megharoopan'' (2012), '' Akam'' (2011), '' Vedivazhipadu'' (2013) and '' Jamna Pyari'' (2015 ...

, Madhan,

Linga A lingam ( , lit. "sign, symbol or mark"), sometimes referred to as linga or Shiva linga, is an abstract or aniconic representation of the Hindu god Shiva in Shaivism. The word ''lingam'' is found in the Upanishads and epic literature, wher ...

and

Singampuli Singampuli is an Indian actor and Film director, director working in Tamil cinema, Tamil films. After making ''Red (2002 film), Red'' (2002) and ''Maayavi'' (2005), he has made a career appearing in comedy roles and supporting roles. Career S ...

. The eight episodic series premiered on

on 26 January 2023.

Synopsis

The story revolves around the life of a young teenage girl (Tamizhselvi) who defies the horrible 500-year-old customs and traditions that oppress the women of Veerappannai village in

Pudukkottai Pudukkottai Municipal Corporation is the administrative headquarters of Pudukkottai district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is one of the oldest Heritage city located on the banks of the Vellar River. It has been ruled, at different t ...

towards her dream of becoming a doctor.

Cast

Development

Production

The series is produced by Kushmavathi under the production house of Estrella Stories, with music composed by Revaa and screenplay and dialogues by Veenai Maindhan, Sachin, and Muthu Kumar. Muthukumar marked his web series debut with this series.

Casting

Abi Nakshatra was cast in the female lead role as Tamizhselvi. Malayalam film Actress

was cast as a Tamizhselvi's mother. Madhan,

and

were also selected for supporting roles.

Bagavathi Perumal Bagavathi Perumal, popularly known as Bucks, is an Indian actor, who has worked in Tamil films. Perumal debuted in Balaji Tharaneetharan's critically acclaimed '' Naduvula Konjam Pakkatha Kaanom'' (2012). Bagavathi has since appeared in pivota ...

, Lakshmi Priya and Smruthi Venkat also appear as guest stars.

Release

It was announced on Wednesday 26 January 2023 that the series will be released in Tamil and

Telugu Telugu may refer to: * Telugu language, a major Dravidian language of South India ** Telugu literature, is the body of works written in the Telugu language. * Telugu people, an ethno-linguistic group of India * Telugu script, used to write the Tel ...

languages on ZEE5.

Episodes

Season 1

Reception

Critical response

Anusha Sundar of

The New Indian Express ''The New Indian Express'' is an Indian English-language broadsheet daily newspaper published by the Chennai-based Express Publications. It was founded in 1932 as ''The Indian Express'', under the ownership of Chennai-based P. Varadarajulu Naidu ...

wrote "Ayali lacks a consistent storytelling. Ayali’s antagonists are over-the-top caricatures. They stick to all the usual tropes of a villain just to reiterate the core message. This repetitive pattern only creates a sense of detachment and a bitter aftertaste. A little subtleness could have gone a long way to tell this tale that every other woman can relate to." R. Srinivasan of ''Cinema Vikatan'' wrote "Ramji's cinematography captures the warmth of the village and the nature of its people without diminishing realism. Starting with the title sequence, Revaa's music helps convey the impact of several serious scenes. Editor Ganesh Siva has compiled the eight episodes perfectly without losing interest." Mankandan Sakthivel of ''Behind Talkies'' said "All in all “Aayali” is an amazing OTT series that should be watched by people of all ages." Janani K at ''

India Today ''India Today'' is a weekly Indian English-language news magazine published by Living Media, Living Media India Limited. It is the most widely circulated magazine in India, with a readership of close to 8 million. In 2014, ''India Today'' laun ...

'' rated the series 3.5/5, stating "Director Muthukumar’s Ayali, starring Abi Nakshathra, Anumol and Aruvi Madhan, is a bold show that questions patriarchy and holds a mirror to society. The show is a must-watch, says our review." Bharathy Singaravel of ''

The News Minute ''The News Minute'' is an Indian digital news platform based in Bangalore, Karnataka. It was founded by Vignesh Vellore who is also the current CEO in 2014. Apart from Karnataka, it also has bureaus in the states of Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, ...

'' gave 4 stars out of 5 and wrote "''Ayali'', despite a few flaws, is receiving the praise it well deserves. It gives hope that the Tamil web series genre will choose nuanced storytelling over trying to stretch out cinematic mass moments for its actors." Bhuvanesh Chandar of ''

The Hindu ''The Hindu'' is an Indian English-language daily newspaper owned by The Hindu Group, headquartered in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. It was founded as a weekly publication in 1878 by the Triplicane Six, becoming a daily in 1889. It is one of the India ...

'' wrote "the series raises its voice against the socio-religious factors that are used by men to oppress women, but you wish the series used the long format to maximise its potential and with a better screenplay."

References

External links

*
Ayali
' at

*{{IMDb title, id=25966494 Tamil-language web series 2023 Tamil-language television series debuts ZEE5 original programming Tamil-language thriller television series Tamil-language melodrama television series