Raakshasa Review: A gripping watch that smartly downplays its surprises and avoids unrealistic hero moments

ZEE5 Kannada’s latest original series, Raakshasa, is a haunting crime thriller that pulls viewers into a shadowy world where belief, violence, and truth intersect. Spanning seven episodes of 20–22 minutes each, the series unfolds along the misty banks of the Malaprabha River in rural North Karnataka, where fear lurks quietly and nothing is quite what it seems. Raakshasa is the Kannada adaptation of the acclaimed Tamil series Vilangu (2022), which was later remade in Hindi as Janaawar: The Beast Within. While the core narrative remains intact, the Kannada version roots the story firmly in the socio-cultural texture of North Karnataka, lending it a distinct regional flavour. The series revolves around Sub-Inspector Hanmappa, who is drawn into a chilling investigation involving a series of alleged crocodile attacks near the Yellamma temple in Savadatti. As mutilated bodies surface and local folklore begins to shape public belief, the case turns into a psychological maze, forcing Hanmappa to question not just the crime itself, but the blind faith surrounding it. The opening episode sets the tone effectively: a policeman spots a flashlight in the forest at night, only for a headless corpse to later surface in the same area. With the crime scene swarming with officers, the missing head leads to Hanmappa being pulled up for a major security lapse. How he navigates the pressure, pieces together scattered clues, and identifies the real culprit forms the crux of the narrative. What begins as a mysterious missing-person case soon unravels into a layered murder investigation, with seemingly unrelated incidents and victims gradually converging into one disturbing truth. At times, the narrative feels densely packed with information, making it slightly difficult to keep track of the threads. However, the payoff lies in how these strands eventually come together to form a largely satisfying puzzle. Written by Suhan Prasad and Apoorva, and directed by Suhan Prasad, Raakshasa is produced by Tharunsudheer Productions. Vijay Raghavendra anchors the series with a restrained, internalised performance as Hanmappa, portraying a man weighed down by professional responsibility and personal conflict. The show also explores Hanmappa’s domestic life — his wife, played by Mayuri, is pregnant and yearns for his presence as he gets consumed by duty. While this emotional thread adds depth to his character, Mayuri’s role could have benefited from more screen time to make the conflict feel fuller. Avinash, Malavika, Appanna, and Abhijith offer solid support, grounding the series in realism. The supporting characters do much of the heavy lifting in making the police station feel lived-in and chaotic, a space buzzing with complaints, follow-ups, and pressure from higher-ups. The women officers, though present, remain largely underwritten and peripheral to the investigation, which feels like a missed opportunity. The series captures the tension of rural landscapes beautifully. The camera work lingers on quiet details, the foggy riverbanks, dimly lit forests, and cramped police station corridors, enhancing the sense of unease. The background score stays true to the mood, supporting the narrative rather than heroising the protagonist, which works in the show’s favour. One of the series’ strengths is how it portrays the pressure on the police force. Officers are shown juggling personal lives and brutal cases with limited resources and endless bureaucracy. The narrative doesn’t justify their methods but presents custodial violence and procedural shortcuts as a grim reality of the system. Revealing the identity of the prime accused would be a major spoiler, but it’s safe to say the twist is unexpected, and the motives behind the crime are revealed in a way that avoids easy predictability. While the pacing slows occasionally, the series gains strong momentum after the fifth episode, leading to a compelling final stretch. Overall, Raakshasa is a gripping watch that smartly downplays its surprises and avoids flashy, unrealistic hero moments. It plays out like a tense pickleball where the roles remain uncertain till the very end. Brooding, layered, and grounded in its setting, the series makes for a solid addition to ZEE5 Kannada’s thriller catalogue.