Darshana Sugathan
After a compelling debut in 2023, Kerala Crime Files returns with a second season titled “The Search for CPO Ambili Raju“, ringing a quiet alarm. Season 2 trades the claustrophobic suspense of a motel murder for a broader, emotionally charged investigation into a missing cop. The series matures into something rare — a procedural drama that is as meditative as it is investigative.
Directed by Ahammed Khabeer and now streaming on Disney+ Hotstar, the second season transcends the conventional ‘whodunit’ framework to ask a far more unsettling question: How does a man vanish unnoticed within a system designed to see him?
The series owes its binge-worthy appeal to its tightly knit writing. Bahul Ramesh’s writing in Kerala Crime Files Season 2is marked by its quiet elegance and structural restraint. Beyond high-stakes,twists or sensationalist reveals, Ramesh crafts a script rooted in human fragility and institutional neglect. Most impressive is how he writes the absence of Ambili Raju: the missing man becomes the emotional core of the show without ever being sentimentalized. The writing ensures that every character, no matter how minor — from constables to family members — is portrayed with thoughtfulness and integrity.
There are no throwaway roles. Only people caught in the grinding wheel of a fractured system. It refuses to diminsh crime as just an act of violence, but as a symptom of a failing system and a society with deep selective empathy.
A noteworthy strength is that most episodes conclude with cliff-hangers that feel grounded and organic, rising naturally rather than theatrically manufactured. The tension doesn’t arise from sudden twists or forced revelations, but from small, unsettling truths that reorient the investigation just enough to keep the viewer ever curious.
Witnessing the stellar performances of Indrans and Harisree Asokan is undeniably definitely the high point. It is worth appreciating that how effortlessly the duo transitions from their familiar comic chemistry to a dynamic rooted in tension and unease. Arjun Radhakrishnan brings a quiet charm to the role, making his screen presence consistently enjoyable.Far removed from the archetype of a hard-boiled cop, his portrayal leans into restraint and realism — allowing the emotional weight of the investigation to accumulate naturally rather than through melodrama.https://www.youtube.com/embed/6rmX_eRX4GM
Ahammed Khabeer’s direction and Jithin Stanlasius’s cinematography are aclass of remarkable restraint. The viewer is not manipulated with bombastic twists or overbearing music. Instead, the scenes are let to breathe. Long shots of empty rooms, flickering tubelights in police barracks, the rumble of a distant train — all evoke the quiet dread of disappearance.
Interestingly, every track in the series has the recurring presence of a dog in some form — each with a distinct purpose that integrates seamlessly into the story. As the investigation unfolds, different dogs appear at key moments, almost as if they are subtly taking the narrative forward.
The series is beautifully made, not without missteps at times of playing too safe. Considering Aju Varghese’s impactful performance in the first season and his proven acting prowess, it’s surprising he was that he appears to have been underutilized and given lesser space in Season 2. Also, there’s a slight disconnect in how SI Noble is developed, making it hard to fully invest in his journey. Certain supporting characters too were left underutilized adding to a slight lag in the momentum during the middle episodes.