Beneath its grit and darkness, Kohrra 2 reveals surprising warmth and is a beautiful, beautiful show, applauds Mayur Sanap.
Key Points
- Barun Sobti and Mona Singh lead the second season of Kohrra.
- Directed by Sudip Sharma and Faisal Rahman, the latest season take the franchise forward with a new crime tale.
- Kohrra: Season 2 streams on Netflix.
A murder. An investigation. A circle of suspects. We know the drill, right? Thankfully, Kohrra 2 flips it.
For a returning season of the popular title, the show has no interest in playing by the rules. Yes, it is dark and tense, with the same DNA as the first season, yet it stands on its own. Not for the crime story alone, but for the journey through its complex, compelling characters that makes it a such a gripping watch.
What Kohrra 2 is about
Kohrra 2 opens with the chilling discovery of a woman’s body in a barn.
She is revealed to be Preet Bajwa (Pooja Bhamrrah), who had moved to her paternal home seven months earlier.
The crime scene is primarily investigated by Amarpal Garundi (Barun Sobti), who has been newly transferred from Jagrana to the Dalerpura police station. Now married to Silky (Muskan Arora), Garundi is juggling personal and professional struggles, making him the only direct link to the first season in an otherwise fresh storyline.
Mona Singh plays his new senior, Dhanwant Kaur. Their partnership gets off to a rocky start as they investigate Preet’s murder.
Suspicion falls on Preet’s NRI husband Baljinder (Rannvijay Singha), and the investigation quickly exposes a broken marriage and the reasons behind her return to Punjab.
What begins as a seemingly simple case soon reveals buried secrets and tangled personal dynamics, pointing to a far more complex truths.
Why Kohrra 2 works
Kohrra 2 works on two levels: A murder investigation and an intimate character study of the people involved. The crime moves the story, but the characters give it depth. So much so, the murder almost feels incidental, as the story uses the case to reveal the layers of its deeply flawed, complex characters.
Writer Sudip Sharma meticulously crafts this layered story with Gunjit Chopra and Diggi Sisodia, and also steps in as director for the first time alongside Faisal Rahman (his collaborator from the terrific Paatal Lok). They shape the story into a gripping slow burn that traces the ripple effects of the choices each character makes.
The writing here is impressively intricate. Skip a minute, or miss a line, and you might lose a detail that connects to something crucial later on.
The six episode series has poetic titles (Everything Burns, The Dead Never Leave, The Chains That Bind Us) that carry both literal and metaphorical weight. They add an emotional hook that runs neatly through the narrative.
Hearing the characters speak in Punjabi also adds a raw, visceral impact, and it keeps the setting authentic, even if a few words are hard to catch. But hey, drop the ‘one-inch barrier’ of subtitles and make Bong Joon-ho proud!
In a welcoming change, the most criticised aspect of season one, its police brutality, is also toned down, limited to just a slap or two.
Terrific performances in Kohrra 2
Mona Singh is a national treasure, bringing an astonishing degree of humanity to her emotionally wrecked performance as Dhanwant. Just last month, she was seen as the Goan don in Happy Patel, and here, she transforms into a frail, emotionally distant woman coping with a traumatic incident that has strained her marriage to her husband (played by Pradhuman Singh).
There’s an easy charm to Barun Sobti who plays Garundi with warmth, as the character shows clear growth, trying to build a quieter, more peaceful life after marriage. He also gets to play around some funny beats, be it his baffled look at the word ‘situationship’ or reacting to a pun about women that backfires from Mona.
Watch Barun in a scene where he witnesses Mona confronting her drunk husband on the street. It recalls Rajkummar Rao watching Aamir Khan and Rani Mukerji’s domestic squabble in Talaash. What begins as a quietly uncomfortable moment turns devastating, adding emotional weight.
Together, Mona and Barun make a dream team, anchoring the drama with lived-in, truthful performances.
There’s also a tiny, cheeky cameo midway through episode 4 that feels like a little Easter egg for attentive viewers (Hint: He’s the star of another acclaimed show by Sharma).
Why Kohrra 2 is worth a watch
Beneath its grit and darkness, Kohrra 2 reveals surprising warmth. When the fog finally clears, what lingers is light, tenderness, and a quiet feeling in your heart.
In the final scene, a small poster about the heart on a hospital wall brings a gentle smile and a sense of closure.
Some shows linger long after the screen goes quiet. Season two of Kohrra lingers too.
A beautiful, beautiful show.
Kohrra: Season 2 streams on Netflix.
