In just five tightly packed episodes, Search: The Naina Murder Case takes you through a whirlwind of theories, emotions and shocking revelations, making it a compelling Indian crime drama, notes Divya Nair.
Konkona Sen Sharma is one of those rare actors whose choice of OTT projects has consistently worked in her favour.
After entertaining audiences with Killer Soup and Lust Stories, she returns as a sharp and intuitive cop in Search: The Naina Murder Case.
Directed by Rohan Sippy, the series is an Indian adaptation of the acclaimed Danish thriller Forbrydelsen, aka The Killing, which originally ran for three seasons. Naturally, the story has been reworked to suit Indian sensibilities, including the settings, and emotions.
The premise is simple but layered.
When a missing college girl, Naina (Chandsi Kataria), is found dead in a politician's car, all eyes turn towards the usual suspects -- her jilted ex-boyfriend, a jealous classmate, a teacher with a murky past, and finally, the politician himself.
But as lead investigators Sanyukta Das (Konkona Sen Sharma) and Jai Kanwal (Surya Sharma) dig deeper, disturbing truths surface, and every clue leads to another twist.
As skeletons tumble from unusual places, nothing is quite as it seems.
And that's what keeps you hooked in this series.
The writing is taut, and the storytelling remains gripping throughout.
Parallel to the murder investigation is the personal story of Sanyukta, a woman torn between her demanding duty and her crumbling marriage.
She has made a choice to prioritise her family but is also duty bound to play by the rules, and carry out her responsibilities as a cop on a mission.
Konkona's vulnerabilities -- of failed decisions and small victories -- lend a humane touch, making her a relatable and grounded character in an otherwise grim narrative.
Search: The Naina Murder Case also captures the emotional turbulence of teenage angst, parental pressure, and the hidden lives people lead beneath their carefully constructed social and public images.
Konkona is natural as the experienced, no-nonsense cop who is emotional but gritty, without being overtly melodramatic.
Giving her company is Surya Sharma as the annoying but earnest junior officer whose impulse contrasts Konkona's calm and patient approach in the investigation.
The supporting cast including Shradha Das, Iravati Harshe, Mukul Harshe, Sagar Deshmukh, Varun Thakur and Mukul Chadha complement the leads perfectly, adding the right balance of tension, emotion and intrigue to the story.
In just five tightly packed episodes, Search: The Naina Murder Case takes you through a whirlwind of theories, emotions, and shocking revelations, making it a compelling Indian crime drama.
If you haven't watched The Killing, the cliffhanger episode is bound to keep you guessing what's coming next.
Search: The Naina Murder Case streams on Jio Hotstar.
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