Probing justice, memory, and responsibility, this month’s selections reveal a culture that’s preoccupied with power—who holds it, who suffers, and who dares to question it.
Kohrra – Season 2 (Punjabi/Hindi) Netflix
Sudeep Sharma’s Kohrra returns with its signature atmosphere: fog-draped fields, simmering tensions, and emotional undercurrents that linger long after the credits roll. Season 2 opens with a brutal murder in a barn in rural Punjab. Preet, estranged from her husband and living with her parents, is found impaled under mysterious circumstances. Her brother resents her strongmindedness, her lover is two-timing her, and her husband is threatening her over a large sum
of money. The usual suspects are investigated by Dhanwant Kaur (Mona Singh), a composed yet visibly burdened police officer whose presence anchors the series. While trying to uncover the mystery, Kaur struggles to keep it together, as the wife of an alcoholic husband and mourning the loss of her young son.
Supporting her is Barun Sobti, returning as sub-inspector Amarpal Garundi. Sobti brings a grounded charm to a character still wrestling with ghosts from his past. Their dynamic—marked by empathy, wit, and an unspoken understanding—becomes one of the season’s greatest strengths. Sobti’s tenderness toward Dhanwant, especially as she navigates a fractured marriage and unresolved grief, adds much-needed texture to a story steeped in melancholy. Beyond the central investigation, the series continues to focus, organically through the plot, on issues such as patriarchy, property rights, migration, and labor exploitation.
Freedom at Midnight – Season 2 (Hindi) SonyLIV
Nikkhil Advani’s Freedom at Midnight returns with a second season that leans heavily into the turbulent months surrounding Partition and its aftermath. Based on the 1975 book by Dominique Lapierre and Larry Collins, the series widens its scope decisively into 1947. Political bargaining over provinces, cities, and resources forms
the backdrop, while the emotional toll of division begins to surface. On the Indian side, Jawaharlal Nehru (Sidhant Gupta) and Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel (Rajendra Chawla) navigate the fragile birth of a nation, while Muhammad Ali Jinnah (Arif Zakaria) leads the charge for Pakistan. Gandhi (Chirag Vohra), though outside formal power, remains a moral anchor, intervening not with authority but with conscience.
The show looks expensive and polished, featuring grand sets and impressive makeup that makes the actors truly look the part. One of the best parts of the season is the relationship between Nehru and Patel. The show doesn’t treat them like simple rivals; instead, it shows two friends who simply have different ways of working: Nehru is the dreamer and idealist, while Patel is the practical man of action. Their conversations feel like real history in the making. It is a truly delightful series, especially for “history nerds” who want to see how modern India was built.
Nna Thaan Case Kodu (Malayalam) Jio Hotstar
Courtroom dramas often lean toward heavy moral preaching, but director Ratheesh Balakrishnan Poduval takes a different route here, blending grounded storytelling with understated humor to create a film that feels both entertaining and pointed. The story revolves around Rajeevan (Kunchacko Boban), a former petty thief trying to build a stable life with his partner, Devi. One night, after a temple festival, Rajeevan jumps over a compound wall and is bitten by dogs belonging to a local MLA. What follows is less about the dog bite and more about reputation and the machinery of bureaucracy. Branded a thief yet again, Rajeevan finds himself entangled in a legal battle to clear his name. The film’s premise may sound simple, but its execution elevates it. Rather than relying on dramatic twists, the narrative unfolds deliberately, focusing on the larger ecosystem that allows small injustices to snowball. Boban delivers a convincing performance, using physicality and dialect to make Rajeevan feel authentic. Among the supporting cast, PP Kunhikrishnan’s portrayal of the judge strikes a perfect balance between authority and humor. The film turns a small complaint into a bigger story about fairness and responsibility.
Ronth (Malayalam) Jio Hotstar
Shahi Kabir has built a reputation for crafting police dramas that feel intimate and unsettling (watch Nayattu on Netflix, a masterpiece in storytelling) rather than sensational. Ronth continues that streak. From its opening moments, the film establishes a tense, immersive atmosphere, drawing viewers into the
psychological and moral terrain of a single night shift. Set in the days leading up to Christmas, the story follows two officers on patrol: Dinanath (Roshan Mathew), young and principled, and Yohannan (Dileesh Pothan), a senior cop worn down by years of service. Their ideological divide forms the emotional backbone of the film. Where Dinanath sees duty through a lens of empathy and reform, Yohannan views it through pragmatism shaped by repeated disillusionment. The narrative unfolds over the course of one long night, where routine calls gradually give way to incidents that test both men’s judgment. Ronth isn’t just a typical cop movie; it is a thoughtful film that looks at the personal toll of having power and shows how easily a situation can slip from being under control into total chaos. Both lead actors give great, layered performances.
Thursday Special (Hindi) YouTube
In just under thirty minutes, Thursday Special manages to hold an entire lifetime within its frame. Directed by Varun Tandon and presented by Shoojit Sircar and Vikramaditya Motwane, this short film is a tender exploration of companionship, memory, and the quiet courage it takes to heal. The story centers on an elderly couple, Shakuntala (Anubha Fatehpuria) and Ram (Ramakanth Dayama), who live
alone in a home shaped by years of shared routine. They speak about losing a child. Their days unfold in small, familiar gestures: packing a tiffin, preparing meals, and settling into sleep beside one another. Food becomes the emotional anchor here; the Thursday Special, a meal requested by Ram for his weekly office potluck, is Shakuntala’s way of expressing her affection for her partner. Tandon chooses hope over sadness.
Baisakhi Roy is the editor of Canadian Immigrant. Her work has appeared in leading Canadian media outlets, including The Globe and Mail, Toronto Star, and CBC. She specializes in stories at the intersection of immigrant life and culture in Canada, with a strong focus on workplace issues and diversity.