Brown Review: Karisma Kapoor's Neo-Noir Thriller Is Dark, Dreary And Disappointingly Hollow

Brown (web series)

Streaming: ZEE5 from 5th June, 2026

Directed By: Abhinav Deo

Cast: Karisma Kapoor, Jisshu Sengupta, Helen, Soni Razdan & others

Rating: 2/5 star

The crime-thriller space on OTT has become increasingly crowded. Every platform wants its own dark, gritty murder mystery, complete with damaged cops, corrupt systems, troubled families, and a city that almost becomes a character in itself. Zee5's Brown arrives with all the ingredients of a compelling neo-noir thriller. It has a strong cast, an atmospheric Kolkata backdrop, and a central murder investigation that should have kept viewers hooked. The problem? Brown is so busy trying to be many things at once that it forgets to be an engaging thriller.

A Murder Mystery Buried Under Too Much Noise

The series follows Rita Brown (Karisma Kapoor), a suspended and deeply troubled police officer battling alcoholism and personal demons. She returns to duty when a 30-year-old woman named Ahana is found murdered inside her home. What begins as a seemingly straightforward investigation soon branches into political connections, family secrets, social power structures, personal histories, and multiple side stories.

On paper, that sounds layered. On screen, it feels cluttered. Instead of tightening the mystery, the narrative keeps introducing new characters, subplots, and emotional detours that add very little to the central investigation. Entire stretches are spent exploring Ahana's friendships, her romantic history, and interpersonal dynamics that never meaningfully elevate the story. The result is a series that constantly moves but rarely progresses.

At several points, Brown feels less like a carefully constructed puzzle and more like a collection of ideas thrown together in the hope that they eventually connect.

Great Hooks, No Payoffs

Perhaps the show's biggest problem is its inability to follow through on its own setup. Several storylines are introduced with genuine intrigue. Certain moments are framed as major turning points, making viewers believe important revelations are around the corner. Yet many of these threads either disappear completely or receive underwhelming conclusions.

The writing repeatedly asks for investment but rarely rewards it. Characters enter the story carrying secrets, motivations, and mysterious connections, only for their arcs to fade into the background. Certain developments are treated with such importance that viewers naturally expect significant consequences, but the narrative simply moves on without addressing them properly.

By the time the series reaches its later episodes, the gaps become impossible to ignore. The frustrating part is that the show clearly possesses ideas worth exploring. It simply doesn't seem interested in fully exploring them.

Rita Brown Needed More Depth Than Darkness

Much of the series rests on Karisma Kapoor's shoulders. The actress certainly deserves credit for attempting something dramatically different from the image audiences have long associated with her. Rita Brown is damaged, angry, lonely, and struggling to keep herself together. It is a far cry from the vibrant screen persona that made Karisma such a beloved star.

However, the character never feels fully realised. We're constantly told about Rita's alcoholism, trauma, and emotional scars, but we rarely feel them. Her internal struggles remain surprisingly distant. One of the most puzzling aspects is how casually her recovery journey is handled. A lifelong addiction appears to become manageable almost overnight, stripping the character arc of the complexity it desperately needed.

As a result, Rita often comes across as a collection of character traits rather than a living, breathing person. The emotional connection simply never lands.

The Supporting Cast Deserves Better

If there's one performer who consistently grounds the show, it is Surya Sharma as Inspector Arjun. He brings sincerity, confidence, and much-needed energy to the investigation. His chemistry with Karisma Kapoor creates some of the series's better moments, and whenever the focus remains on their professional partnership, Brown becomes significantly more watchable.

Jisshu Sengupta also delivers a dependable performance and understands exactly what the show requires from him. He remains one of the more stable presences in an otherwise uneven narrative.

Unfortunately, several talented actors are left stranded by the writing.

Soni Razdan and Helen Khan feel almost entirely wasted. Their characters exist within the story, but their purpose often feels unclear. The writing gives them little room to leave any meaningful impact, making their presence surprisingly forgettable.

Similarly, Shaan's much-publicised OTT debut barely registers. His character arrives without sufficient depth, background, or dramatic weight, making it feel more like a favoured cameo than a memorable one.

Paresh Pahuja's track has potential and is among the easier storylines to predict, yet even that arc fails to deliver the emotional payoff it seems to be building towards.

Packaging Can't Hide A Weak Foundation

Visually, Brown gets several things right. The Kolkata setting works beautifully. The city's streets, architecture, mood, and textures contribute significantly to the atmosphere. There are moments when the show genuinely captures the melancholy and mystery associated with classic noir storytelling.

Director Abhinay Deo creates a world that looks intriguing. The problem is that style can only take a series so far. The screenplay lacks discipline. Episodes feel stretched. Revelations arrive late. The whodunit element gradually loses its impact because the clues become increasingly obvious. Long before the series reaches its answers, viewers are likely to have connected the dots themselves. Suspense survives on surprise. Brown runs out of surprises much earlier than it should.

Final Verdict

Brown desperately wants to be a layered psychological thriller, a political drama, a family mystery, and a character study all at once. In attempting to juggle so many moving parts, it loses focus on the one thing that matters most: telling a gripping story.

There are flashes of promise. Surya Sharma impresses, Kolkata provides atmosphere, and Karisma Kapoor's attempt at reinvention deserves acknowledgement. But weak writing, unresolved threads, inconsistent character arcs, and a bloated screenplay prevent the series from reaching its potential. What remains is a mystery that looks darker than it feels and sounds deeper than it actually is.

Rating: 2/5 Stars