SonyLIV’s ‘Kankhajura’ directed by Chandan Arora is on air and it has a unique storyline. The cast includes Mohit Raina, Roshan Mathew, Sarah Jane Diaz, Ninad Kamat, Mahesh Shetty. The web series has a total of 8 episodes of 30-40 mins run time.

Story
‘Kankhajura’ is the story of a brother who returns to society after spending 14 years in jail. Ashu (Roshan Mathew), a character who looks innocent and cunning, tries to reconnect with his elder brother Max (Mohit Raina), but in this attempt, the brother’s settled life gets turned upside down.

Max is working on an ambitious real estate project, where many obstacles come his way. Ashu tries to help in his unique style, but his intentions are not clear. Gradually, the story begins to show the darker shades of relationships love somewhere, and hidden fear and deceit somewhere else.

Direction
Chandan Arora has returned to direction after 15 years and his understanding of editing is visible in this series. However, in some episodes, the story loses its grip and you already guess what will happen next.

‘Kankhajura’ is a Hindi adaptation of the Israeli show Magpie, but some changes have been made to it according to the Indian audience, which makes it more impressive. This story, set in the backdrop of Goa, attracts attention not only because of the location but also because of the complexity of its characters.

Acting
Roshan Mathew does a great job in Ashu’s role. His acting is so layered that he looks innocent at one moment and cunning the next. His stuttering, body language and cunning eyes—everything makes the character believable.

Mohit Raina has given a serious and strong performance as always. As Max, he is a man who is tough on the outside but has a lot of emotions suppressed inside.

Sarah Jane Diaz, Ninad Kamat and Mahesh Shetty are also impressive in their roles. Especially Sarah Jane’s character brings both glamour and sensitivity to the story.

If strong actors like Heeba Shah and Usha Nadkarni were given a little more screen space, the impact would have been deeper.

What goes well
Roshan Mathew’s brilliant acting and the depth of the brother-brother relationship are well portrayed. Chandan Arora’s direction and editing are smart. The unseen world of Goa and its backdrop

What could have been better
Many twists in the story seem predictable, some female characters needed more development, and twists have less shock value and more predictability

Opinion
Kankhajura is a dark, psychological thriller that unravels the layers of family, deception and human behaviour. The show leaves you wondering at the end of every episode, is a human really what he appears to be? Or is he just a cunning ‘Kankhajura’ who changes colours when the time comes?

The show is a must-watch, especially for those who are interested in performance-driven stories.

Rating: 3/5

“Good, but could have been better.”