Web Series Name: Arabia Kadali
Rating: 2.5/5
Cast: Satyadev, Anandhi, Nasser, Ravi Varma, Poonam Bajwa, Amit Tiwari, Dalip Tahil, Nihar Pandya, Alok Jain, Prathyusha Sadhu, Raghu Babu, and others
Created by: V.V. Surya Kumar
Streaming on: Prime Video
“Arabia Kadali” is a Telugu original series that Prime Video released this weekend. The series, which features Satyadev and Anandhi in the main parts, is currently available for streaming in a number of languages. Let’s see how it has been shaped up in our review.
Story:
Badri, a fisherman from Andhra Pradesh, struggles with debt but hopes for a brighter future with his childhood sweetheart, Ganga. He heads out from his village to Gujarat for fishing. However, his dreams take a hit when his boat unintentionally sails into Pakistani territory, and he, along with his team, gets caught and thrown in jail. Back at home, Ganga tries her best to bring them back. How the journey of these two lovers ends is what the rest of the story is about.
Performances:
Satyadev and Anandhi perform convincingly. With their honest attempts, they create an air of curiosity and make certain heartfelt moments shine. The actors playing the other fishermen and villagers fit perfectly. Kota Jayaram, Harsh Roshan, and Surabhi Prabhavati, the court movie trio, shine. Veterans like Nasser and Dalip Tahil are wasted.
Analysis:
The story of Arabia Kadali, directed by VV Surya Kumar, is based on true incidents. Fishermen hailing from Andhra Pradesh find themselves trapped in Pakistan and push hard for their release.
It is definitely a strong and heartfelt concept, and the viewer can totally see that this show’s story is pretty similar to Naga Chaitanya and Sai Pallavi’s Thandel that came out earlier this year.
But Arabia Kadali misses the mark and has a tough time making the most of its source material. Though it has a good dialogue here and there or there is an attempt to bring the emotion, it misses the mark in creating a genuine emotional atmosphere that gives a solid impact.
The romance between Badri and Ganga should have been given more importance. Every now and then, the flashback scenes attempt to highlight their deep love, but it does not really hit hard. The tension between the two villages is just typical, but a few moments between them during the jail period come good.
The so-called bad guys, the police and military folks in Pakistan, come off as cartoonish and do not seem like real people. The show relies on outdated concepts, like a female doctor in prison teaming up with Badri and her lawyer husband.
The episode of a cop from a Pakistani prison who despises Indians comes to terms with his judgement after a hero helps him protect his family, creating the required dramatic effect, though it appears predictable from the get-go.
How Ganga fights to liberate the fishermen feels impactful sometimes, but overall, it could have been handled better. On that note, the last episode gets a little more exciting, and the series ends on a better note.
Positives:
- Satyadev and Aanandhi’s Performance
- Some Emotional Moments
- Final Episodes
Negatives:
- Weak Emotional Impact
- Old-Fashioned Handling Of Pakistan Prison Scenes
- Ineffective/Dull Subplots
Arabian Kadali Review and Verdict:
Arabia Kadali is a survival/emotional drama based on true incidents. The performances of Satyadev and Aanandhi and some heartfelt moments, along with good visuals, work well for the series, but the inconsistent emotion and dullness in the proceedings make it just an okay watch.