Dr Khusi Pattanayak
Set in contemporary Punjab, Kohraa is a socio-political commentary on the actual state of lived experience
Hands down Kohrra (Punjabi-Hindi, 2023) is one of the best Indian web series of recent times. The crime drama is not just another copaganda content prepared for OTT; it marries two favourite genres– love and crime – and gives something to ponder about once the dust has settled.
Confusion and excitement engulf a sleepy village when an NRI boy gets murdered and his British national friend goes missing. A scoop-passionate media trails the story as an over-pressured and under-experienced team takes over the investigation. Set in contemporary Punjab, Kohraa is a socio-political commentary on the actual state of lived experience.
Audience gets a peek into police atrocity, preferential behaviour, domestic violence, unrequited love, convenient marriage, parental abuse, dysfunctional families and a host of other imperfect situations that makes one question why? Why do things have to be as they are? The maze of difficult questions is not just thrown into the audience’s face but they are also answered. And that sets Kohrra apart.
One of the protagonists in a drunken state says, Punjab is plagued by ‘let it be’ attitude. And that sums up the philosophy of the entire series. Characters refuse to address the root problem, and in their clumsy efforts to cover up the crisis they only create more mess.
When an investigating officer explains he is working on a certain line of information, his superior cooly reminds him it is easier to pin a crime on a social deviant than to look around for actual criminal.
Another scene informs how it is best not to get the powerful involved during criminal investigations. When a suspect is released from custody he cries inconsolably in sheer disbelief while camera indicates how he was as random a ‘potential criminal’ as his cell-inmates could have been.
Love in Kohrra is not all that rosy. Rather it is conniving and deceitful. Passion, lust, love – they transcend beyond the matters of heart and body and play the games of mind. Love is the foundation stone whose absence or unregulated presence ruins even the most unexpected.
Flawed father figures hover all over the script. Their hubris not only ruins their individual lives but collapses the world around them in-general.
The chaos of the fictional world resonates wonderfully in the background score that refuses to provide a sense of comfort. The camera-work is brilliant; especially those unspoken unsettling closeups that speaks volumes.
On the surface, there are few elements that reminds one of Paatal Lok: a murder case; camaraderie between Balbir Singh and Amarpal Garundi like Hathiram Chaudhary and Imran Ansari; lack of opportunity to get involved in high-profile cases; sorry state of investigation and corrupt practises.
But fortunately, the similarity ends there. For Kohrra takes its own route, mood, and consequences. Backed by Clean Slate Filmz (NH10, Qala, Paatal Lok); elegantly written by Sudip Sharma (Udta Punjab), Gunjit Chopra (Paatal Lok) and Diggi Sisodia; the series is craft-fully directed by Randeep Jha (Trial by Fire).
The casting is impressive. Each actor delivers his/her best. Suvinder Vicky and Barun Sobti are natural. Manish Chaudhary and Varun Badola are effortless. It was good to see Rachel Shelley (Lagaan) back in Indian screen after decades; wish she had more screentime.
The only thing that goes against Kohrra is its run-time. Like all long-form content, even with 6 episodes, Kohrra feels over-stretched and unnecessarily dragging to meet the regulatory standards of length (the kidnapping involving a senior police official was absolutely unnecessary).
If you are not a prude or a homophobic then do watch Kohrra on Netflix.
(The author is an internationally published writer & corporate communication specialist. Views are personal
