Web series : Kankhajura
Streaming Date : May 30, 2025
123telugu.com Rating : 2.75/5
Starring : Roshan Mathew, Mohit Raina, Sarah Jane Dias, Trinetra Haldar Gummaraju and others
Director : Chandan Arora
Producer : Ajay Rai
Music Director : Roby Abraham
Cinematographer : Rajeev Ravi, Vinod Illampally
Editor : Vaishak Ravi
Related Links : Trailer
Kankhajura is the latest Hindi crime thriller starring Mollywood actor Roshan Mathew in the lead role. The series is available for streaming on SonyLIV and is also available in a Telugu dubbed version. Here is our review to know how it is.
Story:
After spending 14 years in prison, Ashu (Roshan Mathew) returns to his brother Max (Mohit Raina), who is on the verge of a major breakthrough with his construction business. Ashu appears quiet and naive on the surface, but beneath that calm exterior lies a calculating mind with an agenda of his own. As he slowly embeds himself into Max’s world, his presence sets off a chain of unsettling events. Secrets begin to surface, friendships are tested, and Max’s once-stable life starts to spiral out of control. What begins as a reunion between brothers soon turns into a dark, psychological game – one where trust is shattered, motives are murky, and consequences are brutal.
Plus Points:
The standout performance of Roshan Mathew is sure to be praised. He leads the role with utmost care and ease. He shouldered the entire story and carried it well, and the way he showed variations in performance across many sequences makes us appreciate him for sure.
Mohit Raina as Max also gives his best, and his subtle performance is cool to watch. Ninad Kamat (as Pedro) and Mahesh Shetty (as Shardul) – those who play his friends and business partners – also leave a neat impression throughout.
Sarah Jane Dias, Trinetra Haldar Gummaraju, and Heeba Shah also give their best in their limited roles.
Minus Points:
The story runs well and keeps one intrigued in the first two episodes, but it slows down afterward. The moments become repetitive and predictable as well. The only thing that hooks you despite these negatives is the presence of Roshan Mathew.
The story is fine and revolves around trust, betrayal, loyalty, and bonding, but a tighter screenplay and less laggy narration could have made it one of the best crime thrillers.
At some places, the scenes seem designed to deliver a big impact and set the stage for major twists, but the slow pacing kills the enthusiasm and makes the show drag, causing viewers to just sit back and think, “let it happen.”
Some characters, such as Nisha (played by Sarah Jane Dias), could have been better developed. Mrs. Deshmukh (played by Usha Nadkarni) is also a nice character whose ending comes without leaving any major twists and turns wasted.
Technical Aspects:
Adapting the Magpie TV series is a nice idea but it could have been narrated for a better viewing experience. The director could have made the show more interesting by adopting a faster screenplay. However, he manages to pique interest by making a few scenes engaging.
Cinematography by Rajeev Ravi and Vinod Illampally is neat and suits the theme well, while the background score by Roby Abraham is okay.
Editing by Vaishak Ravi needs more trimming of scenes to make the series shorter and improve the viewing experience. The Telugu dubbing works fine. Neat production values help the series overall.
Verdict:
On the whole, Kankhajura is a crime thriller that has moments worth watching. However, it fails to keep you engaged throughout due to lag, repetitive scenes, predictability, and some unnecessary parts. Roshan Mathew’s performance is top-notch and the sole reason to watch the series, while the rest of the cast are just fine. If you have enough time, you may give it a try, but it is advisable to keep your expectations in check before starting the show.
123telugu.com Rating: 2.75/5
Reviewed by 123telugu Team