Kohrra Review: Netflix’s latest Hindi crime series stars Suvinder Vicky, Barun Sobti, Manish Chaudhary, Varun Badola, Harleen Sethi, Ekavali Khanna, Rachel Shelley, Arjuna Bhalla, and others. It is created by Gurjit Chopra, Diggi Sisodia, and Supid Sharma. Randeep Jha has directed the six-episode series of 40-45 minutes each.
-No Spoilers-
Kohrra Review
The Netflix series Kohrra is set against the backdrop of Punjab. An NRI groom’s dead body is found in the fields. Cops Balbir Singh (Suvinder Vicky) and Garundi (Barun Sobti) investigate the case. The challenging investigation brings forth a lot of secrets and stirs up their personal and professional lives.
After CAT, Netflix India released another story set in Punjab, where the men in turbans are not constantly overexcited and cracking jokes. From the first episode on, everyone in the story is depicted as real people. Hence, the investigation process also looks more raw than the usual fashionably thrilling ones we often see in such genres.
As we dig deep into the stories of the cops and everyone involved, we realise that Kohrra is a dark tale of love and human relationships. Balbir and Garundi, who are under pressure to solve the case, also have chaotic personal lives, thanks to their yearning for love. The motive of the crime also turns out to be love. But unlike what Hindi movies have shown us, love in Punjab doesn’t always mean dancing and enjoying Sarson ka Saag te Makki ki Roti in the fields.
Often, crime shows focus on how every person has a reason for being bad. Kohrra tells us that being wrong isn’t always limited to killing someone. One can hurt others with their actions, betrayal, infidelity, physical violence, threats, and manipulation. The makers don’t intend to engross us much with the whodunnit aspect, but mostly with how and why. Hence, halfway through the series, you can predict what must have happened as hints are dropped from episode 2. But what keeps you interested is the number of secrets we discover about every character.
Keeping the series limited to six episodes is a smart decision. It avoided the makers from dragging out the subplots and dramatising the incidents further. The series doesn’t have the usual gratifying ending. After all, that’s not how we see conclusions in real life.
Despite so many positives, it might be something that only some will enjoy. As viewers, we are spoiled with the thrills and suspense in such tales, with over-the-top conversations and actions taken by the cops. We’ve seen that officers have the power to do anything they want to solve their cases. Here, the makers have shown the grinds of both policemen. The two are determined to solve the case, but mainly because of the pressure from their superiors.
We often see Balbir and Garundi struggling to get hold of suspects, failing to keep some case updates a secret, and making wrong judgments. This flawed representation shatters the smooth and cool murder investigative shows we’ve seen in the last few years. Actors Suvinder Vicky and Barun Sobti are brilliant throughout. They own their respective characters and make you a part of their story. The rest of the cast also does a good job.
Final Thoughts
Overall, Kohrra may be another crime series released in the times when this genre is overused and exploited on every OTT platform. Yet it intrigues you with its twisted and grim take on love, crime, and human relationships. Love is the driving force of the crime show that’s extremely gloomy. It transports viewers to the dark side of Punjab, where unsettling secrets rather than blissful love thrive in the fields.
The series is now streaming on Netflix.
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