The preview event of the suspense thriller web series titled “EXAM,” which will stream on May 15 on the popular entertainment platform Amazon Prime Video, was held successfully in Chennai.
Produced by Wallwatcher Films under the banner of Pushkar & Gayatri and directed by National Award-winning filmmaker A. Sarkunam, the web series features Tushara Vijay, Aditi Balan, and Abbas in lead roles.
The seven-episode series is set to release on May 15 on Prime Video. The preview event for the suspense thriller “EXAM” was attended by producers Pushkar & Gayatri, director A. Sarkunam, Tushara Vijay, and Aditi Balan.
Producer Pushkar said:
“Before we started working on ‘Va Quarter Cutting,’ A. Sarkunam’s film ‘Kalavani’ had already become a success. He proved that a film made on a small budget could become a huge hit. That’s what we told other producers—that big stars are not necessary, and small-budget films with new actors can also become successful.
In cinema, we usually tell the story of a hero. But in digital platforms, web series have a longer format, so certain elements become necessary. From the EXAM trailer itself, there is tension around two characters, Jhansi and Maramalli—whether Jhansi will get caught or not creates suspense.
There is also a storyline about cheating in competitive exams. When Sarkunam first narrated the story, all these elements were present. We immediately understood it was meant for a long-format series.
Honestly, this is the only script from outside writers that we approved immediately after hearing it. We usually check whether there are enough engaging elements for 6–8 episodes, and Sarkunam was very clear about that.
If you look at many web series, they are originally written as films and later stretched into series. But Sarkunam clearly said from the beginning that this is a long-format story.
He also worked with great clarity and planning during the shoot. That is his strength.”
Director Gayatri said:
“The story was very good. There are different writing rules for films and web series, and it must be written accordingly. The team was open-minded and accepted our suggestions.
We were very particular about casting talented actors. Tushara and Aditi were our first choices. We had already planned to work with Aditi.
There is an important character in this series, and we were wondering who would suit it. Then actor Abbas suddenly contacted us after a long time and said he wanted to act again. He has a strong fan base, so we cast him, and he has performed brilliantly.
We have very talented technicians in our team. The cinematographer and art director are working on their first project. Everyone worked with great enthusiasm.
The Amazon Prime Video team also gave full support. We thank them for their cooperation.”
Director A. Sarkunam said:
“My friend Shankar, founder of Shankar IAS Academy, and another friend who later became a lawyer after filing cases related to exam scams were major inspirations. Many friends preparing for government exams also influenced this story.
Government exams are the biggest dream of middle-class families. Instead of just documenting scams, we made it into a thriller that keeps the audience engaged with suspense—‘what happens next?’
When I narrated the story to Pushkar & Gayatri, they insisted that every scene must create curiosity and tension. They encouraged blending meaningful content with strong entertainment value.
They also gave me full freedom and actively participated in script discussions. There was no compromise in production quality.
For me, this is the first project where there were no conflicts between producer and director from start to finish. I thank them for that.”
Actress Tushara Vijay said:
“This is my debut in the digital platform. Even my film ‘Sarpatta Parambarai’ released on Prime Video, so I feel lucky.
I accepted this project without hesitation. When I heard Pushkar & Gayatri were producing it, I said yes immediately. When I heard A. Sarkunam is directing, I said double yes.
The character Jhansi is challenging—she is innocent but makes strong decisions. The director helped me a lot in performing this role.
This series will definitely make an impact. I always prefer unique roles, and EXAM is one such role. It feels like the character chose me.
Working with this team was unforgettable, especially performing stunt sequences under Dinesh master’s guidance.”
Actress Aditi Balan said:
“Thanks to Pushkar, Gayatri, and Sarkunam for giving me the role of Maramalli. I had to undergo physical preparation and fight training.
This is my first time doing action scenes, and I enjoyed it a lot. Tushara and I had many fight sequences—we literally fought each other on set!
My character starts off slightly negative, but I cannot reveal more.
I was already a big fan of Sarkunam sir’s films, so I immediately agreed to this project. Working with this team was a memorable experience.”
