Far more than funny

Sumukhi Suresh’s Pushpavalli is for Indian audiences what Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s Fleabag perhaps was for the British. Both feature protagonists who revel in their flaws, both repeatedly go down the rabbit hole. In season two, Suresh and her team of writers are intent to not offer Pushpavalli any redemption. The mistakes of the past weigh heavily on her mindstalking, kidnapping her crush’s dog, constantly lying but rather than feel remorse, we see her want revenge. All of us are bitches somewhere, says Suresh. Men are too. I don’t like women being portrayed as black or white.