BOTTOM LINE
Average but Watchable Urban Comedy
PLATFORM
JioHotstar
RUNTIME
1 Hour 73 Mins (4 Episodes)
What Is the Show About?
Kiran, who hails from an influential family, works at an IT firm against his wishes. He is in love with his colleague Anu, and the two live together in an apartment. Kiran’s devout Christian friend Pappi joins their flat while trying to sort out his priorities. Meanwhile, Anu’s friend Isha, a reluctant acting aspirant nursing a heartbreak, lands at their nest. Tired of their lives, they set out to start a local cafe.
Performances
Anagha Ajith, who plays Anu, is the pick of the lot among the lead cast, with an expressive face that does the job even in the most ordinary of sequences. Rinosh George is decent as a confused youngster willing to dabble in a start-up. Joel Joseph (as Pappi) and Diya Deepan (as Isha) don’t get much room for growth in the early episodes.
Analysis
Kappi Squad feels like a timely response to the current Malayalam cinema landscape, dominated by heavily plotted, anxiety-inducing thrillers and crime dramas. The show is not meant to be cerebral at all, featuring ordinary protagonists leading simple lives with big dreams. They don’t take themselves too seriously, are mildly ambitious, and are not afraid to fail. All they want is some silly fun.
Kiran does a typical corporate job that everyone loves to hate. His boss, a lapdog to his father, often reminds him that he is doing Kiran a favour by keeping him on the payroll. Adding to their animosity, he even hits on Kiran’s colleague and girlfriend, Anu. Kiran and Anu bond over coffee dates during work, drive back home to the same apartment, and share similar frustrations about their jobs.
The lovestruck couple in their flat are surrounded by friends, Pappi and Isha, who are going through the motions in life and need a temporary nest to crash in. An aimless Pappi knows Kiran through and through, calling him out whenever he goes overboard. Isha, fresh from a heartbreak and uninterested in films, just needs some air to breathe.
Coffee becomes an outlet for the gang to discuss their frustrations and worries. Through the story of Vinay anna, who makes coffee at a nearby cafe, the show talks about the price one pays for the big urban dream, where families are left behind in pursuit of a stable livelihood. In between, Kappi Squad alternates between their individual backstories and wacky episodes. The atmosphere is light, packed with self-deprecating humour.
The show may not do anything special, but its appeal lies in its averageness. A simple plot about four confused, ordinary youngsters, their motivation for starting a cafe, and their highs and lows across four crisp episodes makes for comforting viewing. It deals with themes relevant to its target audience – love, career and identity – in a lighter vein.
Kappi Squad is in the same zone as other JioHotstar Malayalam titles like Cousins, Kalyanams and Prince of Mollywood, which made no tall claims about being special. It’s a show you casually watch when you have some time on your hands, find amusing, and move on from with your life.
An average, relatable show about average lives, meant purely for timepass. Don’t expect anything pathbreaking.
Music and Other Departments?
Siddhartha Pradeep’s background score is generic when dealing with template situations. The cinematography is pleasant, brimming with bright colours, even if the show is confined to three or four locations. The writing is nothing out of the box, though serviceable. The 25 to 30-minute runtime per episode makes it more tolerable.
Highlights?
Relatable, light and easy to digest
Crisp, breezy episodes
Drawbacks?
Nothing out of the box or particularly special
Relies on stock characters and situations
Did I Enjoy It?
I would say I didn’t mind it.
Will You Recommend It?
If you’re looking for a light, low-stakes show with a simple plot.
Kappi Squad JioHotstar Web Series Reviewed by M9 News
