Arabia Kadali Review: Satyadev and Anandhi starrer series starts off well, but loses its path midway

Arabia Kadali, starring Satyadev and Anandhi in the leading roles, is currently streaming on the OTT platform, Amazon Prime Video. The web series created by Krish Jagarlamudi focuses on a real-life incident that took place in 2018.

If you’re planning to watch the series, here’s the Pinkvilla review for you to check out.

The Plot

Arabia Kadali features the story of Nuragala Badiri, a fisherman from a community in Srikakulam. He is in love with Ganga, a young girl from the neighboring village whom the people consider their rivals.

Owing to the lack of infrastructure in their region, Badiri and other fishermen travel to Gujarat for work. However, on a fateful day, their fishing boats accidentally crossed into Pakistani waters, leaving them imprisoned.

Do they manage to escape from the jail, and how Ganga awaits Badiri’s return forms the story.

The Good

One of the biggest aspects of the web series is the immense understanding that has gone into honing the craft of making the story grounded in reality. Unlike cinematic tropes and heroic moments, Arabia Kadali prefers to be honest about the emotions each character is facing.

The urgency, the need of the hour, and how having hope even in the darkest hours showcases humanity to its full extent. While exploring such complexities with its own nuances, Arabia Kadali manages to stitch itself together as a comprehensible story of thrill with dramatic moments.

With a screenplay co-written by Krish Jagarlamudi, the show maintains a consistent momentum, particularly in its honesty, which sets it apart in certain moments. This feels refreshing as the story itself is based on a true incident.

While the show takes hits in other aspects, the acting put forth by Satyadev and Anandhi is remarkable, holding together the show at crucial places.

The Bad

Arabia Kadali faces its biggest fault with the timing of its release. The same incident showcased in this series is what Naga Chaitanya starrer Thandel explores. The similarities in the movie and series could be seen from a mile away, making it feel repetitive to watch.

What troubles the whole show even more is the subpar execution by VV Surya Kumar. Even though it seems the director is attempting his best to create, the entire show’s narrative stays rather dormant and fails to leave a mark on your mind.

Coming to the technical aspects, the cinematography of the series also fails to impress anyone, often coming off as static and boring. The amateurish visuals often feel like we’re watching soap operas on television.

Moreover, with the choppy editing and the poor visual effects, the entire appeal of this drama thriller loses its momentum halfway through the show.

With unnecessary character tropes and stereotypical story arcs, Arabia Kadali disappoints, especially after it teased some prominence.

The Performance

Arabia Kadali has Satyadev and Anandhi in the lead roles, who both breathe life into their characters. Both of their characters are layered with complex emotions and brilliantly enacted by them.

While Nassar and Poonam Bajwa do an okayish job, Harsh Roshan manages to leave an impact with his performance.

Watch the trailer of Arabia Kadali:

The Verdict

Arabia Kadali is an interesting tale to watch, which is rooted in reality, offering a better experience of the fishermen’s plight. If drama and thriller are your cup of tea, then surely give it a watch.

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