Jun 30, 2026 2:45pm IST
‘Isakapatnam’ Director Garry BH: ‘Each Episode Will End With A Crazy Bang; Viewers Will Be Compelled To Watch the Next One’ (EXCLUSIVE)
This seven-episode revenge drama OTT series, set in Isakapatnam, a fictional port town, centers on themes of power struggles, family feuds, gangster wars and political drama. The trailer offers a glimpse into the gripping crime saga that unfolds on Prime Video from July 2. Variety India caught up with the cast and crew comprising actress Aishwarya Rajesh, actors Samuthirakani and Sunil, director Garry BH and producer Rahul Tamada.
Talking about her role in the series, Aishwarya says, My role as Bharati marks my 15th on-screen appearance as a simple character. She has three to four shades to her personality.
The “Isakapatnam” trailer is fast-paced, intriguing and packed with drama. “Every character has its own journey and evolves throughout the series. The characters are constantly playing mind games, and the series is filled with unexpected twists and turns as the characters cross paths in their pursuit of power,” reveals director Garry BH.
Tamil star Aishwarya Rajesh plays Bharati, a social worker, and in keeping with her image, the actor has once again opted for a deglam role. Talking about her role in the series, Aishwarya says, “My role as Bharati marks my 15th on-screen appearance as a simple character. She has three to four shades to her personality. You can’t judge her easily. What appealed to me was Bharati’s resilience and the strength with which she navigates her world.”
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While most actresses prefer glamorous roles in commercial cinema, Aishwarya seems to be an outlier. “I am aware that most actors take up these roles past their prime. But in my case, I played a middle-class mother to two kids in ‘Kaaka Muttai (2014)’ at 21. I want to be recognized as an actor, not just a glam star. I prefer characters with depth and maturity. I have done a film called ‘Kanaa’ in 2015, where I play a cricketer who gets tanned in the sun. In ‘World Famous Lover,’ (2020) I play the character of Suvarna, who’s a villager. None of these looks wears makeup. I believe that glamour has to look organic. In fact, playing a commercial heroine is tricky because I love to eat and find it hard to maintain myself.
At the heart of this gripping series lies a fractured father-and-daughter relationship. Veteran actor Samuthirakani plays Aishwarya’s father in this fictional series. He dons the role of Naidu, a formidable presence in town, commanding an empire that spans politics, crime and commerce. “The character is intense, ambitious, and political. Naidu is a self-made man who came from nothing and became a kingpin. That is what impressed me. Beyond the action and drama, the narrative delves into themes of greed, revenge and ambition and how they drive people to make life-altering decisions. As far as my performance goes, I didn’t plan anything. My director would enact it for me and it would reflect in my performance. I just followed him blindly and surrendered myself to the director’s vision,” says Samuthirakani.
Keeping a close track of all of Naidu’s movements is the clever cop, CI Varma, played by Sunil. “He is a cop with integrity, but toward the end of the series, you get to know who he is. I was fascinated by how the story came together to create a rich and compelling narrative. The series has pushed me to play a character that I have not portrayed before,” shares Sunil.
“Isakapatnam” is a revenge drama in which the characters act according to the circumstances they are in. “In ‘Isakapatnam,’ nobody is good or bad; it is the circumstances that make them so. If you look at Naidu, Bharati, or Varma, they can’t be good or bad all the time, as there is so much happening in their lives that they need to behave accordingly. Each of these characters is nuanced, so you see multiple sides to them. Each episode ends with a crazy bang, so much so that you will be compelled to watch the next one. People will not be able to predict the outcome,” adds Garry.
“Isakapatnam” has all the elements that make a series successful, and that is why producer Rahul Tamada is upbeat. "When you listen to a script and sense there is something new and it can be packaged freshly to make it appealing, then it is worth investing in. When we heard this script, we knew we had a winner,” he says.
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