Search: The Naina Murder Case review - Konkona Sen Sharma's arresting performance is the saving grace of this flawed, inconclusive adaptation

This Indian adaptation of Nordic noir The Killing is a mixed bag. Konkona Sen Sharma is brilliant as the lead detective, but the plot is overstuffed with suspects and remains frustratingly unresolved.

Search: The Naina Murder Case review

Search: The Naina Murder Case

Search: The Naina Murder Case story:

Search: The Naina Murder Case follows ACP Sanyukta Das (Konkona Sen Sharma), an experienced but morally ambiguous detective, as she prepares to switch departments to save her troubled marriage. However, her preparations are utterly thwarted when she is dragged into the high-stakes case of her career—the horrific murder of a teenage girl named Naina (Chandsi Kataria), whose corpse is discovered in a politician's car. Joining forces with the energetic and enthusiastic rookie ACP Jai Kanwal (Surya Sharma), Sanyukta finds herself caught in a tangled web of political intrigue, hidden agendas, and the shadowy side of a society where the truth eludes her. Along the way, she faces emotional, psychological, and professional obstacles that could reveal the hidden agendas of those involved.

Search: The Naina Murder Case review:

You know what makes a whodunit thriller captivating? It's when they effectively establish that every character, except for the lead, is a suspect. Furthermore, the suspense intensifies when every character harbours a motive to murder the victim. What makes the story more intriguing is the exciting revelation at the end of the season, which allows you to find out whether your guess was right or wrong. Search: The Naina Murder Case walks the path of what I was just curious about, and does it finally give us the answer our curious eyes were looking for? Let's find out...

The six-episode series on JioHotstar (OTTplay Premium) begins when the corpse of a teenage girl named Naina is found in the boot of a car that was pushed into a lake. The investigation commences with a range of suspects, from apparent classmates to a prominent politician.

ALSO READ: Here's why you must not miss Konkona Sensharma's Search: The Naina Murder Case on JioHotstar

Search knows where its intent lies and tries to execute it to some extent, despite being an Indian adaptation of the hit Nordic Noir Forbrydelsen (Danish title for The Killing), which became so popular that it has been adapted in several countries. The original series was released about 18 years ago, so it is expected that the adaptation will be significantly updated and resonate well with the local audience.

However, in the process, the creator Rohan Sippy takes the convenient route of showing troubled teenage life just like we have seen in earlier series such as Class, Big Girls Don't Cry and more. The problems arise because the series consistently portrays a negative perspective on the victim. Radhika Anand and Shreya Karunakaram wrote the series, but its portrayal of troubled teenage girl life remains very stereotypical. We see that Naina comes from a humble family struggling to meet their needs, yet they still strive to provide her with the best education.

The series continuously shows that, despite being a top student, she had poor relationships, friendship issues, and a secret life, which she refused to share with anyone.

Konkona Sen Sharma is headlining the series and the show wins instantly. The actor, a showstopper, is seen playing a tough yet very empathetic cop, not only through her work but also when it comes to handling suspects, accessories, and alibis. Her character, Sanyukta Das, is having a tumbling time in her personal life, with her husband awaiting her and their daughter, Mahi, to join them in Ahmedabad, while her daughter is just being a typical teenager.

Not just Naina, but Konkona's character Sanyukta also lacks support from her family and colleagues, despite receiving constant relief from her seniors. This theme constantly runs through the series as she struggles to find a balance between her personal life and a professional life where she isn't judged or subjected to her male counterparts' inflated egos. Her efforts to achieve professional respect and simultaneously maintain a fulfilling home life consistently complicate her pursuit of justice. The series attempts to introduce several unexpected twists, starting with portraying her as both a female police officer and a mother to a teenage girl, but she manages the overcomplications effortlessly.

What worked for me in this series is the imbalance, as Konkona's performance makes it much more resonant. She is among the actors capable of delivering a performance with effortless ease, and one can still commend her with admiration. She is shown as a soft-spoken, no-nonsense cop who knows her job as well as her weaknesses.

Plus, her camaraderie with Surya Sharma, who plays Jai Kanwal, kind of works here, as they definitely look the part, and as the series progresses, it doesn't rely as much on the ego tussle as one would expect. Surya Sharma secures a significant role, collaborating closely with Konkona. The actor gets several moments to shine, especially while showing that he is not someone who will bow down, but is an ego tussle the only way to get matters into his hands? So be it.

Meanwhile, it was surprising to see Shiv Panditt as Tushar Surve, the local politician, and the actor oozes the role in the right way. However, shown as his best friend and campaign manager is Dhruv Sehgal, which will definitely come as a surprise given the actor's previous outings. The actor has little to offer as of now, and so does actor-comedian Varun Thakur, who comes as a catalyst but doesn't leave any such impact.

The series features a multitude of actors, such as Shraddha Das, Iravati Harshe, and Sagar Deshmukh, among others. They are packed in like overcrowding done in six episodes, where hardly any actor gets a solo shine moment or remains memorable. Regarding the performances, many actors have collaborated in ways that complicate the series' original aspirations.

The six-episode-long series does delve deeply, even though each episode is 35–40 minutes long. However, the agenda appears to focus more on introducing additional suspects rather than solving the case. In one of the scenes, Sanyukta's commissioner asks her whether she wants to solve the case or close it. The entire series continues to linger on these unresolved issues until the very end.

The series, like its full title, Search: The Naina Murder Case adheres to an approach that postpones the conclusion. This narrative choice forces viewers to either wait indefinitely or abandon the series entirely, as the outcome may never materialise or take a considerable amount of time to reveal itself.

Search has its intent in the right place, with the right performances and a decent execution for a weekend watch. However, you will still find yourself searching for a conclusion or for the loose ends to be tied up in order to have a satisfactory viewing experience.

Search: The Naina Murder Case verdict:

Ultimately, Search: The Naina Murder Case is a "killing" adaptation anchored by Konkona Sen Sharma's arresting performance. While the plot skilfully keeps you searching for the killer amid the political grime, the series structurally buries its best elements under an overkill of subplots and suspect introductions.

FAQs:

Q: What is the story of Search: The Naina Murder Case?

A: Search: The Naina Murder Case follows detective Sanyukta Das (Konkona Sen Sharma) as she investigates the high-profile murder of a teenage girl found in a politician's car. The case draws her into a complex web of political intrigue and hidden agendas.

Q: Who is in the cast of Search: The Naina Murder Case?

A: Search: The Naina Murder Case is headlined by Konkona Sen Sharma as ACP Sanyukta Das. The cast also features Surya Sharma, Shiv Panditt, Dhruv Sehgal, and Varun Thakur.

Q: Is Search: The Naina Murder Case a remake?

A: Yes, Search: The Naina Murder Case is an Indian adaptation of the acclaimed Danish Nordic Noir series Forbrydelsen, which is known internationally as The Killing.

Share