Regional films and series in India are as robust as the more familiar Bollywood machine, something that Western audiences became privy to when RRR blew up on the scene during the 2023 Oscars. Now, Netflix debuted another regional title — this time hailing from the northern state Punjab — that illuminates life in the rural areas of the state. Is the six-part murder mystery worth tuning into?
Opening Shot: On a hazy morning, a boy and a girl are having clandestine sex in a field as a dog barks incessantly in the background. Annoyed, the boy grabs a rock to silence it, but as he approaches he sees why the dog’s barking hasn’t relented: a dead body lies in the clearing.
The Gist: Paul, an NRI (non-resident Indian; in this case, a young man living in London), is in Punjab for his arranged marriage to Veera in two days. But instead of celebrating the next chapter of his life, he is found dead in a remote field with his pants down and his face badly bruised. Even more curious is that his best friend Liam who was last seen with Paul is also missing. Kohrra follows the two cops and the various people surrounding Paul as they investigate the mysterious death and Liam’s disappearance, including Veera, her recent ex-boyfriend and Paul’s extended family.
What Shows Will It Remind You Of? The crimes are entirely different, but Kohrra has shades of the acclaimed Delhi Crime in its probing of the system that surrounds the investigations.
Our Take: Murder mysteries and police procedurals are well-trodden land, especially in Indian art lately. But Kohrra is able to add enticing intrigue based solely on the complex narrative and characters at play. Centering the story on a non-Indian resident also adds a layer of global politics, which are further complicated when Liam goes missing — a white boy missing in India makes the whole case even bigger for the local police department. “Kohrra” translates to “fog,” and the title plays nicely with the show’s theme of being beholden to cultural and societal norms and having low visibility to see outside of this way of thinking.
Each person, including the two policemen investigating the murder, are given complications — head policeman Balbir has a deadbeat son, whom he’ll protect at all costs; his partner Garundi is secretly sleeping with his maid instead of following his family’s wishes to get married; Veera was dating someone until only weeks before her engagement to Paul, and their relationship may have continued beyond what she’s told everyone; Paul’s mother openly suspects her brother-in-law of murdering her son, complicating the family dynamics even further.
The performances — including a crackling one from Suvinder Singh as Balbir, who is menacing and empathetic at the same time — coupled with tight dialogue make this one of the most compelling Indian series on Netflix in quite some time.
Sex and Skin: The series opens on a random couple doing it in a field, so it’s safe to say Kohrra won’t be shying away from showing (or at least referencing) sex.
Parting Shot: The last person to see Paul and Liam alive — a petrol pump attendee — contacts the police to tell them what he saw, and the police go to the scene.
Sleeper Star: Rachel Shelley plays Clara, Paul’s best friend Liam’s mom and fans may recognize her from the blockbuster Hindi cinema hit Lagaan. She has a very small role in the pilot but promises to be a bigger presence in coming episodes.
Most Pilot-y Line:: “You have a knack for arriving at the scene before we do,” Balbir tells a pesky reporter. “Maybe you should work on your response time,” he replies. Zing!
Our Call: STREAM IT. A murder mystery whodunit is well-tread ground, but Kohrra fills the world with interesting and complicated people.
Radhika Menon (@menonrad) is a TV-obsessed writer based in Los Angeles. Her work has appeared on Vulture, Teen Vogue, Paste Magazine, and more. At any given moment, she can ruminate at length over Friday Night Lights, the University of Michigan, and the perfect slice of pizza. You may call her Rad.