BOTTOM LINE
Knocks off Your Patience
PLATFORM
Amazon MX Player
RUNTIME
400 minutes (16 episodes).
What Is the Film About?
After wishing death upon Mehek via the Knock Knock app, Tanya is blackmailed by the Knock Knock Killer. She allies with Adheer, and they investigate the mysterious attacks, leading to shocking revelations about her friends and Adheer’s past. The killer is eventually unmasked at a party, and their motivations are revealed as Tanya learns the true extent of the dangerous game she entered.
Performances
Aadhya Anand is easily the pick of the lot; she genuinely infuses life into her dialogue delivery and expressions, unlike most of her co-stars. Arjun Deswal possesses the ‘hunk’ looks, though his character is notably underdeveloped. Kush Jotwani’s role sparks intrigue occasionally, yet his performance largely lacks significant impact.
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Analysis
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Knock Knock…Kaun Hai, as its intriguing title suggests, revolves around the protagonist Tanya’s hunt for a mystery figure who invites trouble into her life through an app. The drama kicks off when Tanya and her childhood pal Rohan spar over Mehek’s involvement with him. The trio’s equations take a bitter turn, and Tanya’s impulsive decision results in a series of mysterious events.
The show unfolds in a small-town setting, where everyone knows one another and frequently crosses paths. It centres on a handful of privileged 20-somethings whose primary concerns are their stagnant love lives and struggles to fit into their peer circle. Though the core conflict is built around romance, it’s treated as a mystery saga, attempting to keep viewers on the edge about a masked individual’s identity.
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Despite its substantial 400-minute runtime spanning 16 episodes, it’s ironic that it doesn’t take time to build a solid foundation for the story. Tanya’s love for Rohan, his apparent disinterest in viewing her as a ‘romantic interest,’ and Mehek’s perceived ‘bitchiness’ are presented quite indifferently. The narrative barely pauses for personal moments and instead rushes through events, heavily relying on the shock value of its twists.
In terms of the screenplay, the idea is quite simple—numerous mysterious events, a strange death, multiple suspects, and choices that narrow down over time. Yet, the narrative is deceptively complex, striving to generate curiosity around the perpetrator. A premise that would have made for a pulpy, compact show is stretched to the point of boredom; everything about it feels too superficial, staged for a viewer to truly care for the proceedings.
Even considering that the characters are at an impressionable age, where their opinions may not be fully evolved and are prone to clumsy choices, Knock Knock…Kaun Hai remains shallow. The criminal’s modus operandi—the use of the app, a fake, deep voice, and regular hints about their identity—is plain bizarre and lacks any element of genuine strategy or intelligence.
The creators do get one thing right: maintaining a consistently busy narrative to prevent its target audience from complaining too much. Another bonus is the introduction of a diverse array of characters grappling with various issues—body image problems, their need for social acceptance, insecurity in romances, and dysfunctional families. Though none of this is dealt with sincerity, you do get fleeting glimpses of what the show could have been with more focused writing.
A better strategy from the creators, especially for a mystery show packed with twists, would have been to release the episodes across a few weeks, rather than dumping over a dozen at once. Nothing about Knock Knock…Kaun Hai truly stands out; the performances are abysmal, the writing strictly functional (and even unoriginal), and the execution too mechanical. In a nutshell, it is mediocrity personified.
Performances by Others Actors
Ayushmaan Saxena lands a crucial part with ample screentime and multiple layers, but one wishes it was fleshed out better. Mona Vasu portrays the authoritarian mom with ease, while Sakkshi Mhadolkar and Deepansha Dhingra get a few moments to shine.
Music and Other Departments?
Bharatt-Saurabh’s background score cares little for anything unique; perhaps the idea was to keep things basic without much experimentation. It deals with primal emotions like love, heartbreak, shock, and tension. Hanoz V K’s cinematography has the flashiness and exaggerated style you expect from a show revolving around spoilt brats, making it certainly easy on the eye.
The writing, by Kamayani Vyas and Nikhil Vyas, relies on underdeveloped characters and conflicts, craving pace over any storytelling nuance. The 400-minute runtime is certainly a bummer for a simple, basic plot.
Highlights?
Decent idea, eye-catchy cinematography
Interesting twists
Varied characters, conflicts.
Drawbacks?
Lacks any depth or entertainment value
Basic idea is stretched beyond limits
Poor, outdated writing choices.
Did I Enjoy It?
Not much.
Will You Recommend It?
No
Knock Knock…Kaun Hai Series Review by M9
