Kohrra review: Exceptional crime-drama fires on all cylinders

Kohrra is a crime drama that follows two Punjab Police officials in Jagrana, investigating the murder of an NRI from the UK. The deceased is discovered in a field just days before his wedding, turning family members and friends into suspects. It is not long before buried secrets come to light.

Story

Kohrra opens with Paul Dhillon’s body being discovered in a field in Jagrana, Punjab. Police officers Balbir Singh and Amarpal Garundi get on the case, but the media arrives on the scene before them, and the news leaks to the public. 

They discover that Paul was a British national and had his face beaten in and throat slit. They also find his car nearby which had met with an accident a while ago. As they convey the news of Paul’s death to his family, Balbir, and Garundi discover that he had come to India to get married. 

His British friend, Liam, was also staying with them. Unfortunately, he is missing as well. The cops start investigating and unfurl the mystery behind what transpired on the night of the murder and who killed Paul.

Performances

Kohrra is full of brilliant acting performances. Every character (major and minor) is a treat to watch as not a single actor puts a foot out of line.

Survinder Vicky leads the charge as Balbir, closely followed by Barun Sobti as Amarpal Gurundi. The two protagonists give such a raw performance, making their characters extremely grey and relatable in many aspects.

Vicky’s somber portrayal of the uptight and turbulent Balbir is one of the strongest points of Kohrra. Sobti is no stranger to playing layered characters and this is another feather in his cap.

The show also features Manish Chaudhary, Varun Badola, Harleen Sethi, Rachel Shelley, Amaninder Pal Singh, Zubin Mehta, Aanand Priya, and more. The supporting cast is equally stellar and despite limited screen time, shines with every scene they are in.

Positives

Like all great shows, Kohrra is masterfully thought out. Writer Sudip Sharma has delivered another banger after the highly acclaimed Paatal Lok.

Its strength lies in its detailed portrayal of scarred people within the hinterlands of Punjab. The narrative is a social commentary on toxic patriarchy, limiting beliefs, domestic violence, social pressures, battered relationships, drug menace, and of course, crime.

Fortunately, Sharma and director Randeep Jha make sure that Kohrra doesn’t turn into a preachy experience and weave its impactful plot twists around a deviously simple yet gut-wrenching murder mystery.

Everything, including characters, narrative choices, silent dialogue moments, and intense action scenes is written in detail and with realism in mind. The pacing is excellent and the show manages to keep you hooked permanently through all six episodes.

The muted color palette, exquisite cinematography, and steely background music are the perfect additions to the experience.

It is safe to say that Kohrra is one of the best series to have come out of India in 2023.

Negatives

There isn’t much to fault in Kohrra except its slightly questionable editing choices. There are a lot of moments that could have been cut short and still retain their importance in the story.

The episodes could have been trimmed shorter or maybe turned into 3 to 4 longer episodes.

Verdict

Unfortunately, Netflix hasn’t marketed Kohrra as much as its other big-budget shows because it deserves all of the attention. From the brilliant acting and storytelling to the series’ exploration of difficult themes and challenges to deep-rooted stigmas, Kohrra deserves to be a watchlist priority.

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